During a recent match in the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association Division 1, batter Baba Aparajith from Tamil Nadu was embroiled in a significant altercation with both on-field umpires and players from the opposing team.
Playing for Young Stars Cricket Club against Jolly Rovers CC, the right-handed batter entered the crease at 32-2 after seven overs, chasing a target of 164. The controversy unfolded when he had scored 32 runs.
Aparajith was declared out by the on-field umpire as a sharply turning delivery from opposition skipper B Hari Nishanth led to an appeal. The situation was muddled as it appeared the batter was hit on the pads, with a short leg fielder claiming a catch as well.
Displaying evident frustration, the 29-year-old reacted dramatically to the umpire’s decision. He declined to leave the field and used gestures to signal the umpire, leading to a subsequent discussion between them.
Take a look at the incident right here:
'The Umpire's decision is final’
Baba Aparajith: Hold my bat! pic.twitter.com/A4Cd6sOV8g— FanCode (@FanCode) August 9, 2023
Although the match didn’t have the Decision Review System (DRS), replays were consulted to make a judgment. Initially accepting the on-field decision, Aparajith headed back towards the pavilion, only to return and engage with an opposition player. The intense conversation led the umpires to step in, ultimately resulting in the batter making his way back to the pavilion.
Young Stars Cricket Club, led by Aparajith, secured a four-wicket win with Sai Sudharsan scoring a crucial fifty
The decision regarding Aparajith’s dismissal was altered, but not in a manner favourable to the batter. Rather than changing from out to not out, the officials modified the mode of dismissal from lbw to catch, as originally ruled.
Facing a setback at 72-3 during the run chase, the in-form B Sai Sudharsan anchored one end, crafting 67-run innings from 92 deliveries, resulting in a four-wicket victory for the Young Stars Cricket Club.
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