Sri Lanka Cricket to protest against India? SLC official confirms Super Over provision after 1st ODI tied

The first ODI between Sri Lanka and India ended in a thrilling tie at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. While the players gave the spectators the worth for their money, the match officials are under serious pressure for committing a blunder.

The third T20I of the series also ended in a tie but a Super Over was conducted to decide the outcome of the match. But this was an ODI and the officials including the match referee Ranjan Madugalle, on-field Umpires Joel Wilson and Raveendra Wimalasiri, reserve umpire Ruchira Pallyaguruge, and TV Umpire Paul Reiffel were unsure whether to allow a Super Over or not.

In the end, they decided not to allow the Super Over as they believed it was only for the ICC tournaments and multi-nation events. Initially, it was believed to be the right decision as well.

Also read: Abhishek Nayar justifies India's batting order shuffle despite shocking loss to Sri Lanka in 2nd ODI

Super Over should have been allowed, says SLC official

Recently, a Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) official revealed to The Telegraph that a Super Over should have been allowed according to the ICC's recent rule change in ODI playing conditions.

A SLC official confirms there was an option to conduct the Super Over in the 1st ODI as per ICC playing conditions.

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The ICC's ODI conditions were amended in December 2023 just after the completion of the ODI World Cup 2023. Clause 16.3.1.1 states that all the ODI matches ending in a tie must have a Super Over unless the conditions don't allow it.

The amended rule states, "If the team’s scores are equal after both innings have been completed then a Super Over shall be played. If the Super Over is a tie, then unless exceptional circumstances arise, subsequent Super Overs shall be played until there is a winner. Should it not be possible to play or complete the Super Overs needed to determine a winner, the match shall be tied.”

There is no mention of any ICC tournament in the statement and it means that it applies to every ODI. The blunder by the match officials left the stakeholders and the fans in shock as such a basic mistake was not expected from such experienced officials.

There will be a Super Over if another ODI ends in a tie, confirms ICC official

According to a report in The Telegraph, an ICC official confirmed that if another ODI ends in a tie, a Super Over will be allowed as per the latest rules and regulations of Men's ODIs.

The officials or the ICC have issued no clarification on this matter as of now. It is likely to be considered a huge blunder as it deprived the fans of some thrilling cricketing action and the players of a well-deserved result.

There have been previous instances where a tied ODI has gone into a Super Over. The most famous instance was the 2019 ODI World Cup final between England and New Zealand at Lord's when the match ended in a thrilling tie and went into the Super Over. Surprisingly, the Super Over ended in a tie as well, which resulted in England being declared the winners on account of the boundary count.

An ODI between West Indies and Netherlands also went into the Super Over last year after the game ended in a tie. However, this match was a part of the ICC Cricket World Cup qualifier played at Harare. Netherlands won the famous Super Over to qualify for the ODI World Cup 2023 and knocked the two-time champions West Indies out of the World Cup.