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India’s match against Pakistan was defined by four close DRS calls, of which only one was unsuccessful in the 2023 World Cup clash.

Games between India and Pakistan always have a number of talking points, be it Virat Kohli’s magnificent six against Haris Rauf last year or Shaheen Afridi’s hold on the Indian top order. In the first innings of Pakistan’s innings on October 14 (Saturday), besides India’s lethal bowling, DRS made its impact felt, with a number of close calls.

Pakistan were in a spot of bother, having lost the openers for 73 in 12.3 overs. They could have been three down if not for the ‘perfect review’ by Mohammad Rizwan an over later when he was given out lbw to Ravindra Jadeja. Rizwan immediately went up for the DRS after discussing with his skipper Babar Azam and stayed on after the ball was shown to be missing the stumps.

The ball slid across the batter, who missed the sweep. The replays showed two reds: with the impact in line with the leg stump. Even though it appeared the ball could have hit the stumps, TV replays showed the ball was going down the leg and Rizwan survived. Saeed Ajmal, who faced a similar incident when Sachin Tendulkar sent a similar review upstairs during the 2011 World Cup, tweeted saying it was “A PERFECT REVIEW TAKEN.”

In the 2011 World Cup semi-final, Ajmal had had a close lbw decision overturned against Sachin Tendulkar, and the Indian went on to make a match-winning contribution.

Babar and Rizwan then stitched together a crucial partnership, before another close call in the 25th over. On the third ball, sent down by Kuldeep Yadav, Babar attempted a sweep, only to fail to make any connection. The Indian team went up in appeal, only for it to be turned down by the on-field umpire.

After much deliberation, Rohit went for the DRS, with Babar looking in trouble at first glance. But the ball-tracking handed the Pakistan skipper a lifeline with the ball only narrowly clipping the leg stump. The ball pitched in line and the impact was a red as well, but Babar survived on umpire’s call, despite more than fifty perfect of the ball’s surface expected to go and hit the stumps. DRS rules that more than half of the ball has to be hitting more than half of the stumps, or, in other words, that the central point of the ball has to be at or inside the central line of the stumps.

Babar was on 34 then and went on to complete his fifty. If not for the two close calls in favour of Pakistan, they would have been in bigger trouble.

India finally had the rub of the green go their way as far as the DRS was concerned when Kuldeep went for an lbw appeal against Saud Shakeel in the 33rd over. At 162-3, Pakistan had the upper hand, and a competitive score of 280 looked possible.

The ball was flighted up on the leg stump, and Shakeel, on the back foot, looked to play it away. He was unsuccessful and could not make contact as the ball beat him and hit him on the pads. Rohit and Kuldeep immediately went up for an appeal, which was turned down. Their eagerness for DRS was shot down by wicketkeeper KL Rahul, who was adamant the ball had not hit Shakeel directly in front, seemingly also gesturing the ball had hit the bat.

Despite the resistance, Rohit went ahead, and he was soon celebrating as UltraEdge ruled out any nick, and ball-tracking signalled three reds. Shakeel departed for a 10-ball six.

Befittingly, India had the last wicket, of Haris Rauf, after a successful DRS appeal. Jadeja beat Rauf, who prodded forward, with the ball hitting his pads. The on-field umpire ruled it not out, but DRS ruled out anything in favour of Pakistan, as Rauf was given out. Pakistan were all out for 191 in the big clash, but not without some drama from the DRS.

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