We are playing at IPL level, not club cricket, says Kohli on umpiring mistakes

Bengaluru: Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli came down heavily on the on-field umpire after the replay suggested that the last ball of Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) chase against Mumbai Indians (MI) was a no-ball, which umpire S Ravi missed.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, RCB skipper Kohli said, "We are playing at the IPL level and not playing club cricket. That's just a ridiculous call off the last ball. The umpires should have  their eyes open."

"If it is a game of margins, I don't know what is happening. They should have been more sharp and careful out there," the 31-year-old added.

RCB required seven runs off the final ball to win and six runs to take the game into super over. MI's Lasith Malinga's final delivery to Shivam Dube was a no-ball that was missed by the on-field umpires. It cost the host dearly as they lost the game by six runs on Thursday. 

Even MI skipper Rohit Sharma too criticised the on-field umpires."We came to know that it was a no ball after crossing the rope. These kinds of mistakes are not good for the game. The over before that, Bumrah bowled a ball which wasn't a wide ball [which was given wide]. They have to watch what is happening. The players can't do much about it. Just walk off and shake hands. It is disappointing to see that, but I hope they can rectify their mistakes like we do," Sharma said. 

MI needed 17 runs off the last over and though Malinga conceded six off the first ball, but managed to pull things back well enough to help MI to get over the line. The moment he was celebrating with his team-mates, the replay went up on the big screen, prompting fury from the RCB camp. Their bowling coach former Indian cricketer Ashish Nehra stormed out to the middle and was involved in an animated chat with the fourth umpire.

But, by that time, according to law of the game, it was to late for umpire to change the decision.

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, who was doing commentary, said that the time has come for the administrators to think of introducing technology in this respect, to detect line calls like in tennis.(UNI)