Image Credit- Getty
In the fifth and final Twenty20 International, which
took place on Sunday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Australia lost
to India by a hard six-run margin. Despite doing everything correctly and
keeping the hosts on their toes the whole game, the Australians, who had
already lost the series, were ultimately defeated by an umpiring error towards
the end of the match. The incident happened in the last over of the game, which
was bowled by bowler Arshdeep Singh as Australian captain Matthew Wade was on
the attack. The pacer began the last over with a bouncer that apparently flew
over Wade’s head, setting himself up for a difficult task of defending 10 runs.
In this case, the equation should have reduced to 9
off 6, but Wade was incensed because the umpire saw it as a legitimate
delivery. Outraged that the delivery had not been called wide, Wade
gesticulated violently before the square leg umpire. Two balls later, Shreyas
Iyer caught him at long-on for 22 (15).
The umpire was back in the spotlight, but this time it
was at the bowling end, so the drama was far from done. Nathan Ellis struck a
ball right back at the pacer, coming from the middle of his blade, with nine
needed in the last two deliveries. Arshdeep’s hands were deflected by the ball,
which struck the umpire as he attempted to move away from the line.
“It’s hard to wrap my head around at the moment
after not being able to get us home,” Wade said of the loss. “I
thought we bowled relatively well. We kept them to a total that probably should
have been chased at this ground. It’s pretty disappointing. It would have been
nice to get the result tonight. I think 3-2 would have been a reflection of
where the series was at.”