Sri Lanka were indignant in the second T20I following the controversial overturning of an on-field decision, by third umpire Masudur Rahman.
Umpire Rahman, however, believed the spike to have come from a noise other than bat on ball. He said on air that there was a “clear gap” between bat and ball at the moment the spike showed up on Ultra-edge. There was a slight misalignment – the ball was one frame past the bat when the spike showed up. But in such circumstances, it is common that the batter is given out, and the misalignment put down to differences in the calibration of the technology.
It was also not clear from where else a noise that had produced a pronounced spike could have arisen.
When umpire Rahman conveyed to the on-field umpire that the decision would be overturned, Sri Lanka were bemused. They swarmed around Sharfuddoula questioning the decision. Their coach Chris Silverwood also walked across the sightscreen to talk to the fourth official Tanvir Ahmed.
“It would have been the first wicket. It would have given us a headstart by taking the wicket. On a track like this, any wicket is crucial.”
Soumya was on 14 at the time. He would eventually fall for 26, in the seventh over.