Watch: West Indies were on the right side of an umpiring error in their crucial Cricket World Cup Qualifier clash against Zimbabwe, with half-centurion Ryan Burl given out lbw despite replays showing the ball had pitched a distance outside leg stump.
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Zimbabwe were well placed for a death-overs assault at the time, on 199-4 with 10 overs to go and Burl on 50. However, his dismissal precipitated a collapse to 268 all out as West Indies surged in the vital game.
A ball after bringing up his fifty with a six, Burl attempted to sweep Akeal Hosein fine but missed and was given out lbw. However, replays revealed that the ball had pitched some way outside leg stump. “Pitching so far outside,” was the assessment of Pommie Mbangwa on commentary. DRS is not in operation for the first round of the Cricket World Cup Qualifier, only coming into use for the Super Sixes stage.
While this is a first round game, its result could prove crucial for deciding who progresses to the Cricket World Cup in October. The format means that results against first-round teams who also progress to the Super Sixes stage are carried forward, and with Sri Lanka rated by most as the strongest team in the competition, whichever of West Indies or Zimbabwe loses this game will either have to upset Sri Lanka or rely on someone else to do them a favour.
West Indies also benefited from an umpiring mistake in the previous Cricket World Cup Qualifier. Scotland were pegged back just before a rain delay, putting them behind on DLS, with the resulting West Indies win enough to guarantee progress to the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
