Confusion and controversy erupted in the IND vs SA 1st T20I in Cuttack on Tuesday. Jasprit Bumrah got Dewald Brevis out to celebrate his 100th wicket in T20Is. Umpires however convened to check whether Bumrah had overstepped. While third umpire ruled him out, later replays on broadcast clearly showed that the Indian pacer had no part of his foot behind the line.
The incident occurred in the 11th over of the second innings when Bumrah came to bowl his third over in the match. Dewald Brevis was the last recognised South Africa batter at the crease with the Indian bowlers having run riot. Brevis tried to swing for the fences, who miscued a pull shot to extra cover, where Suryakumar Yadav took an easy catch.
While the Indian team celebrated, the umpires had a little hold with third umpire waiting to confirm whether Bumrah had overstepped. Even before the replays were shown on the screen, he ruled it as out and Brevis made his walk back to the pavillion.
Replays however showed that Bumrah had overstepped. For it to be a legal delivery, some part of the bowler's foot has to be behind the line. In Bumrah's case, the line was visible and meaning he had nothing behind the crease. However, the umpires stayed with the decision given Brevis had already made his way to the dressing room.
As for the game, India put on a clinical display in their series opener against South Africa. Batting first, the Men in Blue posted a competitive 175 thanks to a blazing half-century from Hardik Pandya. South Africa crumbled in the chase, being bowled out for just 74 with Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy all among the wickets.
