'Umpiring could've been better' - Lalit Modi feels for Preity Zinta and KXIP after wrong decision cost them the match

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has started off in style in the UAE. Only four matches have been completed and some action-packed cricket has been from the cricketers across the world. However, there have been a couple of umpiring decisions which have raised eyebrows as well. Rather one of them has cost the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) their opening game against the Delhi Capitals (DC).

The square leg umpire has wrongly adjudged a short run during the close KXIP chase in the 19th over and eventually, the game ended in a tie only for them to lose. While the skipper KL Rahul hasn’t taken it to the heart, the franchise has officially appealed to the match referee to look into it and the co-owner and Bollywood actress Preity Zinta also lashed out at the poor umpiring standards.

IPL’s first chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi has also given his views on the matter. While the cash-rich league has started superbly according to him, Modi feels the umpiring should’ve been better. He also felt bad for Preity and her team as an umpiring error led to KXIP losing the match.

“And we have the 1st #superover of the season already! This #ipl has really taken off. @mayankagarawal & @marcusstoinis were spectacular. Umpiring could’ve been better. Heart goes out to @realpz her team had won the match. Im always for more technology if it improves decision making. #ipl2020 #cricket,” he wrote on his Instagram handle while posting a video clip of the ongoing IPL season.

Here’s the post:

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And we have the 1st #superover of the season already! This #ipl has really taken off. @mayankagarawal & @marcusstoinis were spectacular. Umpiring could’ve been better. Heart goes out to @realpz her team had won the match. Im always for more technology if it improves decision making. #ipl2020 #cricket

A post shared by Lalit Modi (@lalitkmodi) on Sep 22, 2020 at 4:37am PDT

Another confusion among umpires in RR vs CSK game

Even during the game between the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the umpiring was under the scanner. Tom Curran was first adjuged caught-behind and when the batsman was walking back, the on-field officials suddenly realised that they should check if the ball carried to MS Dhoni.

This move didn’t please the CSK skipper at all and he was seen in animated discussion with the umpires. While the correct decision was made in the end, the sequence of events were clearly not according to the rules.