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Cricket World Cup 2019 controversies: Top 5 controversial moments which have taken the internet by storm so far

Gurpreet Singh
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Cricket World Cup 2019 controversies: Top 5 controversial moments which have taken the internet by storm so far

Cricket World Cup 2019 controversies: TSR presents Top 5 controversial moments in the World Cup so far that will be etched in fans’ memories 

The mega ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 has headed into its second week. The ardent Cricket fans haven’t yet got the hang of it, if we consider the hype built around it prior its commencement, solely due to the incessant rains and the inclement weather.

ALSO READ:  Virat Kohli provides the updates on Dhawan’s injury and availability for remaining World Cup matches

However, the great players of the game provided us with quite a few controversies and moments which thoroughly entertained the Cricketing fraternity so far, with many more expected in the one-and-a-half month long tournament.

Hence, we at TSR bring you the Top 5 controversies which have become more than just talking points of the tournament so far (in no particular order).

Top 5 moments controversial moments

Chris Gayle and the series of reviews

The ‘Universe Boss’ and one of the most entertaining players in contemporary Cricket at the moment, was unfortunately on the receiving end of the fun and excitement he provides to his fans. One might have not seen the furious side of the 39-year-old in his telling career so far. But the ongoing World Cup made sure we witnessed the other side of him as well.

It happened during the 10th match of the World Cup between Australia and West Indies, which will be remembered for the unusual player-umpire battle (not literally) between Chris Gayle and the on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney.

Gayle was given Out twice by the umpire on successive deliveries bowled by Mitchell Starc, but a big Thank-You to DRS that both were successfully overturned.

But, this was not it. A couple of overs later, Starc again caught Gayle right in front. Umpire once again adjudged him Out and the ‘Boss’ again went for the review. But, an umpire’s call meant that the original decision had to be upheld, and the Southpaw had to furiously head back towards the pavilion. More so, because the umpire didn’t rule any of the decisions in his favour.

But, if you think this was it, I’m afraid you are wrong again. The delivery before the one which dismissed Gayle was a big No-Ball which went unnoticed by the umpire, which meant that the delivery on which Gayle got out would have actually been a free-hit!

It was an extreme case of a serious umpiring lapse, which would have more deeply pierced into Gayle’s existing wounds.

The adamant Zinger bails

Problematic, adamant, stubborn, or whatever you may call it, but there has rarely been an innovative technology that has not aided mankind to the slightest possibility. And unfortunately, the Zinger Bails is one of them.

In as many as five occasions during the ongoing World Cup, the LED bails have stubbornly refused to fall off the groove, thereby adding to the woes of the bowler.

Quinton de Kock (off Adil Rashid), Dimuth Karunaratne (off Trent Boult), Chris Gayle (off Mitchell Starc), Mohammad Saifuddin (off Ben Stokes), and the recent one- David Warner (off Jasprit Bumrah), all had luck on their side as the bails didn’t fall even after the ball hit that stumps. In some cases, the ball hit the stumps at pace and yet failed to dislodge the bails.

The Mohammad Shehzad Controversy

Afghanistan wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Shehzad had broke down into tears, after he was ruled out of the 2019 World Cup apparently owing to a knee injury.

But, Shehzad was of the other controversial opinion. Following the decision to rule him out, the 31-year-old released a message through a journalist- M.Ibrahim Momand’s Twitter account, expressing his disappointment over his exclusion which he termed as unfair by the Afghanistan Cricket Board.

The tweet which has been sent out by Momand shows the clean and hard hitting Shahzad breaking down ever since being sent back from England. Shehzad alleged that he was sacked from the squad without his prior consultation.

Moreover, Shehzad also commented that the condition of his knee was absolutely fine, which was the exact opposite of what the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had to say.

Steve Smith, David Warner, and the ‘Booes’

Ever since the Australian superstar batsmen- Steve Smith and David warner have returned back to International Cricket, they have been constantly booed and hurled with ‘cheater’ chants, especially by the English crowd.

The unfortunate trend started from the Warm-up matches of the World Cup itself when despite smashing a century against England, Smith was constantly booed by scores of men from the English crowd.

David Warner was also subject to a similar treatment, when he went out to open the innings alongside Aaron Finch.

The recent case was during their match against India, when the Indian crowd resorted to the similar ‘cheater’ chants at Steve Smith while he was fielding near the boundary rope.

Indian skipper, Virat Kohli had to finally jump in to cease the notorious set of Indian from doing what they were not supposed to. Smith, post the incident, even tapped Kohli’ s back as a Thank You gesture.

The unrelenting Weather God(s)

It has not been even two weeks since World Cricket’s biggest tournament has commenced, and we have already had 4 World Cup matches called-off due to rain.

Never have, in the tournament history (since 1975) so many matches been abandoned due to unrelenting rain or wet outfield before. The weather forecast predicts further rain spoilsports to come.

The fans have expressed their fury over the ongoing scenario, and have relentlessly (alike the rains) demanded reserve days for the aforementioned matches. The issue had become so widespread, that ICC had to come up with an official statement expressing their inability to have a reserve day for each abandoned match. And perhaps, they make sense.

“It would impact pitch preparation, team recovery and travel days, accommodation and venue availability, tournament staffing, volunteer and match officials availability, broadcast logistics and very importantly the spectators who in some instances have travelled hours to be at the game. There is also no guarantee that the reserve day would be free from rain either”.

“Up to 1200 people are on site to deliver a match and everything associated with it including getting it broadcast and a proportion of them are moving around the country so reserve days in the group stage would require a significant uplift in the number of staff. We have reserve days factored in for the knock-out stages, knowing that over the course of 45 group games we should play the large majority”, said ICC Ceo Dave Richardson via a Press Release.

It is worth mentioning that England has experienced more than double the amount of average rainfall within the past one week itself, than it experiences during the entire month of June.

About the author

Gurpreet Singh

Gurpreet Singh

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Gurpreet Singh is a Cricket writer at The Sportsrush. His platonic relationship with sports had always been there since childhood, but Cricket managed to strike a special, intimate nerve of his heart. Although his initial dream of playing the sport at the highest level couldn't come to fruition, Gurpreet did represent the state of Jharkhand at the under-14 level. However, almost like taking a pledge to never let the undying passion for Cricket fade away even a tad, he made sure to continue the love relationship by assigning the field of journalism as an indirect Cupid. He thus, first finished his bachelor's in journalism and then pursued the PG Diploma course in English journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). Soon after and since 2019, he has been working at The Sportsrush. Apart from sports, he takes keen interest in politics, and in understanding women and gender-related issues.

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