(Image Source: Reuters)
[Saba Sports News] The last 30 minutes of the third T20I between India and Afghanistan were filled with drama and suspense. Initially seen as a mere formality after India secured the series, this match unexpectedly became the most thrilling, requiring two Super Overs to decide the winner.
The excitement escalated when the first Super Over ended in a tie, with both teams scoring 16 runs. Confusion was evident among everyone, including captains and umpires. Even Afghanistan’s coach Jonathan Trott was puzzled, particularly by Rohit Sharma’s tactical retirement during the first Super Over to allow Rinku Singh to run for a single. It wasn’t until after the match, which India won for a 3-0 series sweep, that the true magnitude of the event’s uniqueness dawned on Trott.
“I have no idea,” Trott said of Rohit’s decision to retire. “Has there ever been two Super Overs? That’s what I am trying to say. It’s sort of like a new… we keep setting these new sort of rules. What I am trying to say is we kept testing the rules, we kept testing the guidelines.“
Trott acknowledged a communication breakdown between players and umpires regarding the rules. According to ICC regulations, a bowler who has bowled in the first Super Over cannot bowl in the second. This rule led to changes in bowlers for the second Super Over, but Trott admitted that the details were not well communicated.
He emphasized that despite the confusion, the focus should remain on the quality of the game, not the procedural aspects. Trott suggested that such scenarios would be better clarified and documented in the future to avoid similar confusion.
“It was not communicated,” Trott said. “We wanted Azmat to bowl the second over again, Fareed bowled a great over. But those sort of things will be explained… because it has happened, these things will be explained and done in writing in the future. If those are the rules, that’s great. I just think we had a good game, and I don’t think that should be the talking point.”