WTC 2023 Final: Pat Cummins’ no-ball fiasco gives Shardul Thakur lucky reprieve

Australian skipper Pat Cummins cannot catch a break in the ongoing World Test Championship Final against India as the express pacer cost his team a crucial breakthrough after overstepping in the final over of the morning session. Shardul Thakur, who was adjudged LBW by the on-field umpire, was handed a second life after the replays showed that it was a no-ball as the Aussie skipper had overstepped. 

Team India were pegged back in the very first over of the day when Scott Boland cleaned up KS Bharat without adding to his overnight tally. The incoming Shardul Thakur survived a bruising over from Pat Cummins as he was hit on the right arm twice in the same over. Luck was on the side of the Indian all-rounder as he was dropped twice by the Australian fielders.

However, the Australian team seemingly ended the crucial partnership between Rahane and Shardul when Cummins trapped the latter in front of the wicket in the last over before Lunch. But, there was a loud cheer from the Indian fans at The Oval when Shardul challenged the on-field call with the replays showing that the Australian star pacer had clearly overstepped.

Umpire doesn’t feel detecting No Ball is his part of Job….No Apology !!

Umpiring is easy job these days !!@ICC ….

They regularly get it wrong even Without having to look at no Ball errors !!! pic.twitter.com/aL7ZoYBxeJ

— Ritesh Jain (@rickyrits1987) June 9, 2023

Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur’s defiant partnership provides India with a glimmer of hope

This was the second time an Indian batter was handed a reprieve on a no-ball with Cummins being the guilty party on both occasions. Rahane, who is nearing a gritty century, was handed a life in a similar fashion in the nascent stages of his innings on the second day by the Aussie skipper.

Australia dropped three catchable chances in the morning session to go along with Cummins’ blemish as Rahane and Thakur went into the Lunch break after stiching a 108-run stand for the seventh wicket.