Bangladesh were left wondering what would have happened if they had not been denied four crucial runs by an International Cricket Council Playing Condition during their second One Day International against the West Indies in Guyana on Wednesday.
The side lost the game by three runs so the four could have, in theory at least, given them a win.
The situation arose in the 43th over of Bangladesh’s run-chase when Mushfiqur Rahim tried to play a reverse-sweep off Devendra Bishoo but the ball hit his gloves and raced towards the third-man region for a boundary. West Indies players appealed for leg-before just-after Mushfiq attempted the shot and umpire Gregory Brathwaite gave him out.
Brathwaite's decision was reversed after the batsman requested a review, however, the boundary did not count as the Laws and ICC Playing Conditions say the ball is immediately ‘dead' when an umpire declares someone out. If Mushfiq had been given not out and the West Indies themselves had reviewed the decision only for the same decision to apply, he would have got the runs.
Former Bangladesh captain and Bangladesh Cricket Board match referee ASM Roquibul Hasan said: ‘A rule is always rule. You have to be obedient to the laws, rules and regulations. When the umpire makes the decision to give a batsman out the ball becomes dead with immediate effect. Even if the ball crosses the boundary line after the decision the batsman will not get the runs. It’s the rule and all should respect that”.
Despite all that, in the match in question, Bangladesh only needed eight runs off the final seven balls with six wickets in hand and two set batsman at the crease, to win the match, however, they failed to convert that into a win.
