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Bangladesh suffered a heartbreaking four-run defeat to South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Monday, June 10. An umpiring howler and a DRS loophole led to a major controversy after Bangladesh ended up on the losing side.
After 16 overs, Bangladesh needed 27 runs to win from 24 balls. They had six wickets in hand and two set batters at the crease in Mahmudullah and Towhid Hridoy.
Ottneil Baartman came in to bowl the 17th over. On the second ball, Mahmudullah tried to play the flick shot, but couldn't get any connection. The ball brushed his pads and raced away to the fence for a boundary.
However, the on-field umpire Sam Nogajski gave Mahmudullah out LBW. The batter opted for the DRS and ball-tracking showed that the ball would have missed the leg stump.
While Mahmudullah survived, the leg-bye four wasn't added to the team's total as the rule states that the ball becomes dead after the on-field umpire's original decision. Even if the decision is overturned, the batting team won't get the extra runs scored off the ball.
Following the match, several fans and experts took to social media, reacting to Bangladesh losing the match due to the dead-ball loophole.
Here are some of the top reactions:
Certain fans expressed their displeasure over the DRS' dead-ball rule and urged the ICC to do something about the loophole.
"Umpire seems to be supporting SA, Bartman ball clearly going down leg side yet gave out and deprived BAN 4 runs as leg bye.. so crucial match and so crucial runs on this pitch. Poor umpiring." remarked a fan.
"The umpire on the field gives Mahmudullah out. The ball trickles into the fence for 4. M'ullah takes DRS, is given not out but 4 runs not awarded to B'desh who fall 4 short of a #T20WorldCup win. Unlawful law in #Cricket that has to be scrapped." commented another.
"That Mahmudullah lbw when the ball clearly looked sliding down leg but the on file umpire gave it out and so the 4 leg byes didn’t stand, in the end it cost Bangladesh." chimed in yet another.
The 2024 T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh and South Africa was a low-scoring thriller, with the latter eking out a narrow victory. Keshav Maharaj successfully defended 11 runs off the final overs as Najmul Hossain Shanto and company finished at 109/7 while chasing a 114-run target.
"That was not nice on the heart" - Heinrich Klaasen on the thrilling 2024 T20 World Cup match between South Africa and Bangladesh
South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen seemed relieved after his team finished on the winning side after a closely-fought battle against Bangladesh in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Klaasen was named the Man of the Match for his 46-run knock. He said at the post-match presentation:
"That was not nice on the heart but good that we got over the line. The wicket is not too great for strokeplay. We got some good information from the last game and applied it today, we got a decent score. Luckily we’ve got experience in the change room, we almost had a One-Day mindset. Three pressure games now but I think we’re through so that’s good."
With three wins from three outings, South Africa are atop Group D of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
