Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka’s T20I captain, has stated unequivocally that umpire Lyndon Hannibal should find another job after Hannibal ruled a high full toss as a legitimate delivery during a tight last over in the third T20I against Afghanistan in Dambulla.
Hasaranga’s critical remarks came after Hannibal, the square-leg umpire, failed to call a no-ball when a Wafadar Momand delivery past batter Kamindu Mendis well beyond waist height without pitching. Kamindu had moved down the pitch, but the delivery would have likely landed higher than his waist if he had been standing upright at the popping crease. This would be a no-ball under the ICC’s playing rules.
Nonetheless, Hasaranga was quite critical, though he did not mention Hannibal by name.
“That kind of thing shouldn’t happen in an international match,” Hasaranga said of the incident. “If it had been close [to waist height], that’s not a problem. But a ball that’s going so high… it would have hit the batsman’s head if it had gone a little higher.
“If you can’t see that, that umpire isn’t suited to international cricket. It would be much better if he did another job.”
Sri Lanka needed 11 runs from the final three balls when this happened. Because the delivery was declared legal and Kamindu made no touch with the entire throw, they needed 11 off the final two.
After the umpires ruled it a fair delivery, Kamindu was spotted pleading for a no-ball and is believed to have asked a review. However, the current ICC playing standards prohibit player reviews for umpire decisions that do not result in potential dismissals. Umpires cannot initiate third-umpire reviews on no-balls unless a dismissal is at risk.
“There was a situation where you could review those calls before, but the ICC has got rid of that,” Hasaranga said. “Our batsmen tried to review that. If the third umpire is able to check the front-foot no-ball, he should check this kind of no-ball as well. There’s no reason why they can’t. They didn’t do even that, so I’m not sure what was going on in his (the square-leg umpire’s) mind at the time.”
According to the ICC’s playing conditions, a no-ball is defined as any delivery that passes or would have passed beyond the striker’s waist height when standing upright at the popping crease.
Sri Lanka went on to lose the match by three runs, giving Afghanistan their lone victory of the tour, despite the hosts winning the series 2-1.
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