A TV umpire’s decision of disallowing Anjali Sarvani‘s catch to dismiss Hayley Matthews in the WPL 2023 Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz has stirred up a controversy.

Having been put into bat by the UP Warriorz, the Mumbai Indians got off to a steady start in the powerplay. Yastika Bhatia took the charge early on and was dismissed for 21 off 18 with Hayley Matthews taking her time to settle. It was the arrival of Nat Sciver-Brunt that provided the impetus to the MI innings as she raced off to 15 off her first 10 balls.

At 61-1 after eight overs with a well-set Matthews and Sciver-Brunt on the crease, things were starting to look ominous for the UP Warriorz when Matthews pulled a short ball to backward square leg. Sarvani who was stationed there took a brilliant catch diving forward, much to the jubilation of the UP Warriorz players and fans.

The joy was short-lived for them though as the onfield umpires decided to refer the catch to the third umpire who judged that the ball had touched the ground – he paused on one of the frames and inferred that the ball was in contact with the grass – thus allowing Matthews a life.

“I think we might have a discussion on that because all of us thought the fingers were underneath this, plucked clean,” Harsha Bhogle said on commentary, as the big screen read “Not Out”.

Matthews couldn’t capitalise on it as she perished in the next over for a run-a-ball 26. But the decision raised a lot of eyebrows with many finding the decision hard to believe.

“I am not the third umpire so it doesn’t matter, but my view was that it probably never touched [the ground] at all,” Bhogle later said.

How was that not out ???? Such a clean catch . Shocker of a decision . #wpl

— Rohan Gavaskar (@rohangava9) March 24, 2023

We now need a DRS to review the third umpire's decisions 😂 https://t.co/qnBpxoz44d

— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) March 24, 2023

There was no reason for the onfield umpires to even consult the third umpire there IMO.

— Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) March 24, 2023

Honestly, if you can't adjudicate that catch with the benefit of replays etc, you shouldn't even be in the box. Ridiculous from the third umpire.

— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) March 24, 2023

#WPL2023 #Eliminator

One of the leading catchers of the tournament thinks she has pulled off a really impressive catch in the outfield. But the third umpire thinks otherwise..

Did it even touch the ground? I don't think so. Bizarre decision.https://t.co/KPTfuQ0MPM pic.twitter.com/fdxgOnvvhl

— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 24, 2023

Anjali a better person than me. I would’ve had words with the umpire.

— Vaishnavi Bhaskaran (@vaishbhaskaran) March 24, 2023

Credit to the WPL third umpire there, this might just be the most united I've ever seen Twitter either for or against any umpiring call.

— Xavier Voigt-Hill (@voigthill) March 24, 2023

Out or Not Out? 🧐

Not out given by the third umpire and UP Warriorz can’t believe it.

📸- Jio Cinema #wpl #mivsupw pic.twitter.com/o8eCxZijpH

— 12th Khiladi (@12th_khiladi) March 24, 2023