Pant and the rest of the Capitals dugout, too, were seen gesticulating from the dugout, asking their batters to pursue the argument even though the rules don’t allow a no-ball to be referred unless a wicket is being reviewed.
The game eventually resumed, but Capitals fell short as McCoy corrected his line and bowled slower.
The Capitals camp had been left “frustrated” by the umpires’ refusal to refer the legality of that third delivery, Pant said. “Everyone in the ground saw it. I think third umpire should have interfered in between and said that was a no-ball, but I can’t change the rule myself.”
Asked by Mbangwa whether he regretted asking Amre to go in and talk to the umpires, Pant acknowledged his mistake, but reasoned that “obviously, it wasn’t right, but what happened wasn’t also right”. “It was heat of the moment, can’t do much about it,” he said. “I think it was fault of both the sides, not only us, because throughout the tournament we have been seeing some good umpiring. I thought we could have done pretty well.”
Watson: ‘Have to accept umpire’s decision’
Watson felt Pant might have been distracted at the way Capitals had to play catch-up throughout the match. “It is very disappointing what happened in that last over,” Watson said. “Unfortunately, we were in that position in the game because we were not able to put things together for long enough throughout that game up until that point.
“In the end, the one thing at the Delhi Capitals you don’t stand for is what happened. The umpires’ decision, whether it’s right wrong, we have to accept it. Someone running on to the field certainly we can’t accept. It’s not good enough.”
“There is no question when there is a big stoppage in play like that, it can change the momentum,” Watson said. “It gave McCoy a little bit of time to regroup as well. That stoppage did play into Rajasthan Royals’ hands. It was an unfortunate stoppage. In the end, the thing is you got to accept the umpires’ decision no matter what it is – whether it is a good one or not so good one. You have just got to get on with the game.
“We are always taught as youngsters all the way through that we have got to accept the umpires’ decision. That’s what we should have done.”
Sangakkara: ‘Umpires control the game’
When he spoke, Samson decided to brush aside the controversy.
“It went for a six, it was a full toss,” Samson told the host broadcaster. “Umpire gave it a normal ball. Batsman wanted it as a no-ball actually. Umpire made his decision very clear.”