ICC defends Kumar Dharmasena's decision to grant six runs for overthrow in World Cup Final

However, a further in-depth examination of the law revealed that the sixth run should only have been counted had the two batsmen crossed over before the throw was delivered, but replays showed that the two batsmen had not crossed at the time of Guptill releasing his throw, and hence five runs should have been awarded instead of six. The incident has sparked debate and controversy ever since, with former cricketers and experts alike blasting the ICC and the umpiring, stating that it should have been referred to the third umpire and reversed. 

However, ICC's general manager of cricket Geoff Allardice has now come forward and defended the on-field call of Dharmasena, stating that the umpires got together and followed the right process, while also saying that both on-field umpires were well aware of the rule. He also revealed that the ICC protocol doesn't permit the umpires to refer to the Third Umpire in such cases, and hence the on-field Umpires had to take a call in the heat of the moment. 

"They were aware of the law when they made the judgment about whether the batsmen had crossed or not at the time. The playing conditions don't allow them to refer to such a decision to a third umpire. The match referee cannot intervene when the umpires on the field have to make a judgement call like that," he explained. 

"The consistent view has been that the World Cup final needs a winner and a Super Over was in the playing conditions to decide a tied Final in each of the last three World Cups (2011, 2015 and 2019)," he concluded.