India captain Suryakumar Yadav sparked debate on Wednesday night in Dubai after withdrawing an appeal against UAE’s Junaid Siddique, despite the batter being given out by the third umpire.
The incident occurred in the 13th over of UAE’s innings. Siddique, attempting a pull shot off Shivam Dube, missed the ball and was stranded outside his crease. Wicketkeeper Sanju Samson collected and hit the stumps with a direct throw, leading to a third-umpire referral. Replays confirmed Siddique was short, and he was declared out. However, Suryakumar intervened, speaking to the on-field umpire and withdrawing the appeal after noticing on the big screen that Dube had dropped a towel during his delivery stride, something Siddique had also signaled.
One ball later, Siddique was dismissed anyway, miscuing a slower delivery from Dube to Suryakumar at mid-on. That wicket left UAE reeling at 55 for 9, before they were bowled out for 57. India chased the target in just 4.3 overs, registering their fastest win in men’s T20Is.
The withdrawal of the appeal drew mixed reactions. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show, Aakash Chopra suggested the decision was influenced by the game’s one-sided nature. “It’s event-specific,” he said. “If the match was tight, SKY wouldn’t have done it. If it’s out, it should be out. The moment you bring in ethics and generosity, it opens a can of worms.”
Chopra likened the situation to walking after edging the ball. “Once you do it, people expect consistency. The day you don’t, you look hypocritical. If the umpire rules it out, best to stay out of it.”
