Would Still Give Sachin Tendulkar Out LBW In 2011 WC Semifinal: Ian Gould

Former umpire Ian Gould has said that he would stick to his decision of giving Sachin Tendulkar out in the 2011 World Cup semi-final against Pakistan in Mohali. Ian Gould was talking about his infamous decision to adjudge the former India batsman out lbw to Saeed Ajmal.

Tendulkar had asked for a review and Ian Gould’s decision was overturned by the referral system. At that time, the former umpire had shaken his head with mystification when the decision was overturned on referral. Tendulkar was batting on 23 at that time and had gone on to play a decisive knock of 85 as India beat Pakistan to enter the final and eventually win the tournament.

And Ian Gould has once again said that he stands by his decision of adjudging Tendulkar out. He also said that he could not believe it when his decision was overturned after Tendulkar went for a review.

“When I gave him out at Mohali, I’m thinking this is out. I will sit here and guarantee you, if I see it again, I’d still give it out, simple as that. He talked to Gambhir and looked like he was going to walk out, and I’m thinking thank God for that, then he spun on his heels and made that T sign and the world stopped,” Gould told BBC 5 Live Sport.

“Eventually, (third umpire) Billy Bowden told me ‘It’s missing leg, I need you to change your decision.’ Well, no disrespect to him, but I was watching on a 90-foot screen showing me it was missing leg by an inch so I didn’t really need his analysis. I’ve got a picture here where I’m looking slightly disgruntled or annoyed as I gave them not out,” he added.

Gould further said that an umpire’s reaction in that situation is similar to that of a player who made a costly mistake. He, however, managed to get his focus back on the game.

“My biggest fear after that was that I didn’t want another ball to hit anybody on the pad, my mind had gone. I had the brilliant Simon Taufel with me who kept me going. At the end of it, it’s just one of those moments,” he said.

“When the ball hit the pad, all I saw was a quicker ball from Ajmal and it thudded into the pads and went to square leg. It was just right, he’s out. Sorry, you’re out. I don’t care who you are, Sachin or anybody, you’re out. It does affect you at some stage but what you have to do is like a player, get rid of it as soon as you can. My problem was the disbelief of that thing missing leg-stump, in my mind it was one of those straightforward ones, gone,” he said.

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