Yes, T20s Should Be Fast-Paced And Fun But Let's Cut Out These Howlers

Alison Mitchell looks back at the controversies in the shortest form recently and suggests that the game must have integrity.

- Alison Mitchell

A few recent and high profile umpiring errors in T20 cricket have re-ignited the debate as to whether the Decision Review System (DRS) should be used in the shortest form of the game.

When the technology is available it is difficult to find a convincing argument against it – not only in international cricket, but also in televised domestic leagues around the world, which are carrying increasingly high stakes.

The instances which have stood out over the last ten days have included the Sydney Sixers’ Johan Botha being incorrectly given out caught behind off the bicep in the Big Bash League semi-final, which could have cost the Sixers a place in the final; Perth Scorchers’ Sam Whiteman being judged not out after he edged behind in the other BBL semi-final against the Melbourne Stars, and at international level, England’s Joe Root being given out lbw in the final over of the second T20I against India, despite a clear inside edge.

Earlier in the same game Virat Kohli was judged to be not out lbw, when he was shown to be out on replay. Yuvraj Singh was similarly saved from an lbw dismissal. England went on to lose the game, which can never wholly be attributed to one or two incidents in a match, but the umpiring errors were painful, and they had a significant impact.

The umpire responsible in Nagpur was Chettithody Shamshuddin, an Indian official from the ICC’s International Panel. It begs the further question as to why neutral umpires can’t be employed across T20Is and ODIs as well as Tests.