India’s hopes of pulling off a miraculous finish were almost over, but the final over of the Hyderabad T20I brought an unexpected controversy. West Indies were on the verge of victory when fast bowler Shamar Joseph’s approach against India’s No. 10 batter Arshdeep Singh drew criticism from former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Shreevats Goswami.
With 35 runs needed from the final over and all of India’s specialist batters back in the dugout, West Indies looked certain to win on Wednesday. Shamar Joseph, who had conceded 37 runs in his first two overs, returned to bowl the last over.
Arshdeep Singh began by swinging hard at the first delivery and managed to get an outside edge that raced to the boundary for four. Shamar then attempted a wide yorker but conceded an extra run. After that, he switched to short-pitched deliveries. Arshdeep tried to pull the next ball but missed. Shamar followed it up with another quick, short delivery as the Indian batter moved away from the stumps. Arshdeep attempted another pull shot but was struck on the arm.
The Indian team physio rushed onto the field to check on him. After receiving attention, Arshdeep Singh continued batting. However, Shamar Joseph bowled another short delivery, which went for five wides down the leg side as Arshdeep tried to play the pull shot again. The blow had left Arshdeep in considerable pain. With India needing 25 runs from just three balls, he had little chance of completing the chase. Continuing to bat could also have risked further injury to his bowling arm. He therefore retired hurt and West Indies went on to secure a series-levelling victory.
Although Shamar Joseph was within the rules to bowl short deliveries, his decision to continue targeting Arshdeep Singh with such balls became a talking point. Former India batting great Sunil Gavaskar was unhappy with Shamar’s approach. He questioned why the West Indies pacer kept bowling short at Arshdeep when the batter was moving away from the stumps, leaving them exposed.
Sunil Gavaskar felt that aiming at the stumps would have been a simpler and more effective option. He also appeared to believe that the bowler was missing an opportunity to dismiss the batter by focusing on his movement rather than targeting the stumps. Gavaskar had also advised Arshdeep Singh to retire hurt, given the pain he was experiencing and the unlikely chances of India winning from that position.
Former Bengal cricketer Shreevats Goswami also criticised Shamar’s approach during the final three deliveries. In a post on X, Shreevats Goswami said he felt the bowler’s actions did not reflect the spirit of the game.
Shreevats Goswami acknowledged that cricket is a competitive sport but argued that Arshdeep Singh was unlikely to pull off a victory for India with so few balls remaining. He believed Shamar could have bowled at the stumps instead of repeatedly following the batter with short deliveries, which gave the impression that he was deliberately trying to hit him.
The incident has raised questions about the balance between following the rules and showing sportsmanship on the field. While West Indies celebrated a series-levelling win, the final over became a major talking point, with Sunil Gavaskar questioning the bowling strategy and Shreevats Goswami expressing concern about the spirit in which the game was played.
What is your take on this matter?
Ashwin Questions Dropping Kuldeep Yadav Vs WI, Calls It Lack Of Basic Cricketing Sense
Travis Head Takes A Dig At Temba Bavuma After Australia Humiliate Proteas With 214 Run Defeat
Tilak Varma Reveals Gautam Gambhir’s Clear Message After India’s T20I Loss Vs West Indies
Rohit Sharma Reveals How India’s 1996 WC Heartbreak Inspired Him To Become A Cricketer
