IND vs BAN: Give Him Bharat Ratna! Twitter Reacts As Richard Kettleborough Denies Wide To Help Virat Kohli Hit Century

The English cricket umpire Richard Kettleborough started trending on X (formerly known as Twitter) following India’s win over Bangladesh in the 17th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday, October 19.

The reason behind Richard Kettleborough becoming a topic of discussion among fans was his decision in the final over of the match. On the first ball of the 42nd over of India’s innings, spinner Nasum Ahmed delivered Virat Kohli a flatter down the leg and it looked like a clear wide delivery.

However, to everyone’s surprise umpire didn’t call it a wide. The fans of the Indian cricket team and Virat Kohli were happy with the decision of Richard Kettleborough as Kohli was nearing his century with very less runs required to win.

Notably, India needed just 2 runs to win in 54 balls and Kohli was batting at 97. Richard Kettleborough also gave out a cheeky smile after his decision and the players in the Indian dressing room were also laughing after the decision.

Eventually, the decision of Richard Kettleborough didn’t matter as even if he had given it a wide, Kohli would have completed his century comfortably. After playing a dot on the second ball of the 42nd over, Kohli launched Nasum Ahmed’s delivery for a six to complete his ton and help India win the match by 7 wickets.

Many fans felt that the decision made by the umpire was the correct one as the spinner tried to bowl a wide intentionally to deny Kohli a ton. While the others felt that the umpire made a really poor decision.

At the post-match press conference, Bangladesh stand-in skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said that they had no plans to deliver a wide to Kohli and it was unintentional.

“The wide to Virat Kohli wasn’t intentional. We wanted to play a proper game” Najmul Hossain Shanto said at a press conference.

Here’s How X Reacted To Richard Kettleborough Denying A Wide To Help Virat Kohli Complete His Century:

Only good thing done by Richard Kettleborough is not giving that ball WIDE??

One like for umpire ❤️#INDvBAN #WorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/BI8LLTBwTy

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsofCricket7) October 19, 2023

*Bangladeshi bowler intentionally bowls a wide ball to stop Virat Kohli’s century*

Umpire Richard Kettleborough: pic.twitter.com/HyCzT68X16

— Pakchikpak Raja Babu (@HaramiParindey) October 19, 2023

1 like = 1 clap for Umpire(Richard Kettleborough) for not giving wide#ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/McXe16n82R

— AYUSH 2.0 (@AYUSH16769142) October 19, 2023

Give Bharat Ratna to Richard Kettleborough. pic.twitter.com/UScWMdd1ji

— *Roe Joot* (@ImGani22) October 19, 2023

After this decision, One must forgive Richard Kettleborough for every bad decision he gave against Virat Kohli !!

?? pic.twitter.com/ZgO0gdWi8z

— Gss?? (@Gss_Views) October 19, 2023

Appreciation Post for Richard Kettleborough pic.twitter.com/fodU1lMPzg

— SUPRVIRAT (@ishantraj51) October 19, 2023

The fun moment of the day.

Richard Kettleborough had a
cheeky smile when Nasum
bowled in leg side while
Kohli was on 97*.#ViratKohli #KLRahul #GOAT?#INDvBAN #ODIWorldCup2023 #ICCWorldCup2023 #INDvsBANpic.twitter.com/sYuQT3X1gf

— Singer Kumar Sanu (@KumarsanuTc) October 19, 2023

Give Man of the Match award to Richard Kettleborough. ?#INDvsBAN pic.twitter.com/dXCZ14MIzC

— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) October 19, 2023

Richard kettleborough be like it's not a wide ? pic.twitter.com/gc8CMa4MDE

— Vedant Bahuguna (@VedantBahuguna3) October 19, 2023

#INDvsBAN
My respect for richard kettleborough has increased. #ViratKohli #ICCCricketWorldCup pic.twitter.com/pwQeIiC0kp

— jeet wadhwa (@zdkrjfjjdnrjjrn) October 19, 2023

If "Jo ukhadna hai ukhadle had a face"
Richard Kettleborough#indiavsbangladesh #INDvsBAN #ViratKohli #INDvsBAN pic.twitter.com/L8iA3fAuP1

— Akshay Poharkar (@iakshaypoharkar) October 19, 2023

Richard kettleborough deserve a statue outside the pune stadium ??#ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/lWbeV1VI1y

— Vignesh (@ViniciusJrERA) October 19, 2023

Richard Kettleborough ?#INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/oa9xvcZc3G

— Sachya (@sachya2002) October 19, 2023

umpire Richard Kettleborough
diserves BHARAT RATNA #INDvBAN #ICCCricketWorldCup23 @PMOIndia @BCCI pic.twitter.com/qfgGvWk8qm

— చెప్పుకోవాలనిపించే మనిషి కావాలిగా.! (@CaptaiN_Says_2) October 19, 2023

Richard Kettleborough – The Umpire should get Bharat Ratna?? Virat Kohli gets 48th odi century #indiavsbangladesh #INDvBAN #ViratKohli #HardikPandya pic.twitter.com/Hlr1pv3jAX

— ICT Fan (@Delphy06) October 19, 2023

Richard kettleborough entering Indian dressing room : pic.twitter.com/ZcDHf3zZfC

— hurrnet (@hurrnet) October 19, 2023

Finally Richard Kettleborough making india happy #indiavsbangladesh pic.twitter.com/sRcjJfGPzp

— S?? (@kohlidevara) October 19, 2023

Exactly the Same ball Nawaz bowled to Ash in the T20WC 2022. Imagine umpire refused to give wide on that day?

Kohli played for his hundred is ok. As far as team doesn't have any concern over NRR. But, That was pretty poor from the ump. https://t.co/shB0hCzSHH

— V!Ki (@reversesweeep) October 19, 2023

That was a poor job from the Umpire ,imagine a wide not given with India/any side in a tight situation .

that decision would hv still not stopped #ViratKohli's ? as he hit a six with 2 left..then it would hv been 1.

— movieman (@movieman777) October 19, 2023

Feeling thankful that #richardkettleborough wasn't the umpire on 23.10.2022 (INDvsPAK) GAME. POOR UMPIRING. #INDvBAN #Kohli pic.twitter.com/uiCj7s0c2h

— Sivasankar (@sivasankartweet) October 19, 2023

Poor call by the umpire, didn’t matter eventually!

— Murali (@murali_iygr) October 19, 2023

2 Similar Deliveries But
Different Calls by The Umpires
1 Given Wide When india was Winning ?
1 Not Given Wide As Kohli was nearing Hundred ?
Remember Earlier Warner Also Highlighted Poor Umpiring in this WC
Will @ICC take action ? #INDvsBAN #umpire #Kohli #48th #Gaza pic.twitter.com/5meejsaCeW

— Adil Ali Shah (@AdilAliShah13) October 19, 2023