The umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Lyndon Hannibal had a hard day at the office at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo during the first innings of Sri Lanka vs South Africa third ODI. They made some messy decisions which were eventually overturned after the review was taken. In total, the umpires made five wrong decisions including not being able to pick a no-ball for extra men outside the circle.
The first of the wrong decisions was the very first wicket when Avishka Fernando, hit on the pads at the middle and leg was give not out while the hawkeye after the review was taken confirmed that the ball would have comfortably hit middle and leg. This was on the bowling of South African skipper Keshav Maharaj. Some overs later, George Linde hit Dinesh Chandimal on the pads after the latter missed a straighter ball trying to sweep it.
This was also given not out by the umpire before skipper Maharaj was convinced by Linde and wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen to take the review. The review showed that the ball pitched in line contrary to what the umpire thought that it was pitching outside leg and then it went on to hit the middle stump.
Later on, Chamika Karunaratne was adjudged out leg before wicket off a Tabraiz Shamsi delivery that he had hit for sure and on review, it showed exactly that. In the 4oth over once again the umpire gave out to Dushmantha Chameera on the bowling off Shamsi while the ball was clearly doing too much and missing leg stumps, which was confirmed after Chameera took the review.
Lastly, Charith Asalanka was declared out after he was caught down the square leg off the bowling of Linde, however, on Asalanka’s complaint, the no-ball for one extra fielder outside the 30 yeard circle was checked and it was confirmed, giving Sri Lanka and Asalanka a shy of relief. However, it was one more evidence of umpires’ mistake in this game.