There has been confusion and doubts have been raised if the first ODI match between India and Sri Lanka, which saw the two teams tied on a score of 230, should have played a super over.
In the first game at Colombo, when Arshdeep Singh was dismissed when India needed one run to win, neither the players nor the match officials questioned if the tied match should have gone to a super over, as they shook hands and walked off the pitch.
However, choosing not to play the Super over in the tied ODI match might have been a violation of the new International Cricket Council (ICC) rules. The Sporting News takes a detailed look at the issue and explains the new ICC rules in the case of a tied game.
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Was not playing the Super Over in the first IND vs SL ODI a violation of ICC rules?
According to the new ODI "playing conditions" rule, which was updated in December 2023, the teams will have to play a Super Over in the case of a tied ODI, to determine the winner.
ICC's 16.3.1.1 rule states that: "If the teams' scores are equal after both innings have been completed, then a Super Over shall be played. If the Super Over is a tie, then unless exceptional circumstances arise, subsequent Super Overs shall be played until there is a winner. Should it not be possible to play or to complete the Super Overs needed to determine a winner, the match shall be tied."
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According to a Dainik Jagran report, an unnamed Sri Lankan official admitted that a Super Over should have been played, keeping the amended ODI playing conditions rule in mind.
The two cricket boards - Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) and Sri Lanka cricket board (SLC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) ahead of India's tour of Sri Lanka, agreeing to these new ICC rules, however, when the time arrived, the rule was not applied.
There has not been any confirmation yet if decision not to play the Super Over was made after consultation between the two teams or if the match officials had forgotten about the amended law in the rulebook.
The match referee for the first ODI between India and Sri Lankan was Ranjan Madugalle and the on-field umpires Joel Wilson and Raveendra Wimalasiri, whose failure to proceed with a Super Over, might be a violation of the ICC rules.
After a tie in the first ODI and following their loss in the second ODI, India will take on Sri Lanka in the third and final ODI of the tour on Wednesday, August 7, at Colombo, where they will be unable to win the series but will look to equalise and draw the series.
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