WATCH, WBBL | Umpire presses the wrong button in run-out verdict to spark ultimate drama

ByArijit Kundu, SportsCafe Editor

11/06/2024

Cricket is a game of fine margins and often the fractional margin dictates a contest’s outcome. Although not a marginal error, the TV umpire Muhammad Qureshi made a blunder in the recent WBBL clash between the Sydney Sixers and Hobart Hurricanes by pressing the wrong button in a run-out verdict.

Being forced to bat first away from home, the Sydney Sixers stuttered to get a good start. Irrespective of the fall of wickets from one end, opener Ellyse Perry chalked out 86 runs to propel the Sixers to 155 runs in the first innings. Like their counterparts, they got off to a poor start before Danny Wyatt-Hodge, Nicola Carey, and Ellyse Villani stabilized the stage. However, the Sixers spinners didn’t quite let the hosts settle for long with their fielders complementing to a greater extent. This is when the TV umpire got wrong making in making a run out verdict, leading to a silly error.

The fifth ball of the 15th over saw Courtney Sippel bowl a length delivery outside the stumps that Tabatha Saville patted towards extra cover. Ellyse Perry, spotted by a yellow cap, quickly picked up the ball and induced a direct hit at the bowler’s end. With Saville being at the danger’s end, the TV umpire saw that the bat was just inside the crease before the white cherry broke the stumps. However, the big screen at the venue popped up in red, displaying out. This led to a huge confusion in the field with Saville eagerly questioning the on-field umpire on the verdict. Immediately after, the decision was reverse as was witnessed in the big screen leaving Saville breathe a huge sight of relief.

Umpire blunder