MOHALI, India, (Reuters) – Ireland captain William Porterfield was left fuming at the umpire review system (UDRS) and felt batsman Gary Wilson’s lbw ruling could have cost them the match against West Indies today.
Porterfield criticised Sri Lankan umpire Asoka de Silva’s decision to give Wilson out despite replays showing that the batsman had offered a shot to a Darren Sammy delivery that appeared to hit him outside the line of off-stump.
Wilson had been in spectacular nick until then, smashing 61 off 62 balls but after his dismissal, Ireland lost their way and were all out for 231. They lost by 44 runs.
“I am still trying to understand (the decision) myself. The feedback we have got so far is that the ball hit him outside the line and the umpire judged him not playing a shot. I don’t know how many people agree with that,” the Irish captain told reporters.
“If you see the replay on the big screen he could’ve reversed his decision from there. It was clearly seen he was playing the shot.
“Even though he judged that (wrongly) in the first place he saw the replays on the big screen.”
Wilson asked for a review of the decision but to no avail.
“The word we are getting at the minute is the umpire went back upstairs to check if he hit the ball before the impact on the pad and if it was pad first, or bat first,” the captain added.
“Surely if you are asking if it was pad first or bat first, you know he is playing a shot. In my opinion they got it wrong.”
Porterfield said the decision proved crucial as Wilson was well set by then.
“It was the pivotal moment in the game. It was a pretty crucial decision. He was going well,” he added.
Today’s episode was the latest controversy surrounding the use of the UDRS, which is being used at the World Cup for the first time.
India were infuriated when England’s Ian Bell was handed a reprieve in their tied Group B match on a technicality even though replays suggested the batsman had been trapped lbw.
