“What a joke,” say fans in response to Chamari athapaththu’s contentious LBW dismissal in the WPL 2024, which is reminiscent of Joe Root

The 11th edition of the Women’s Head Alliance (WPL) 2024 showcased a captivating and high-scoring confrontation between Illustrious Challengers Bangalore and UP Warriorz, checked by a few stellar exhibitions from players of both sides. In any case, the highlight was stolen out of the blue by a questionable Choice Survey Framework (DRS) expulsion, including UP Warriorz’s Chamari Athapaththu, which cleared out fans in stunned disbelief.

The occurrence happened within the seventh over of the UP Warriorz innings when Georgia Wareham bowled a leg-spin conveyance to Athapaththu. The ball struck Athapaththu’s cushions, inciting an intense request from Wareham and the RCB players. As the on-field umpire remained unaffected, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana chose to go for an audit after a brief talk with her team. Replays uncovered a tossed-up delivery that plunged before Athapaththu, who missed the clear and was hit on the front leg. UltraEdge affirmed no bat contact, but the puzzling minute came when ball-tracking showed three reds, showing that the ball would have hit the stumps.

Athapaththu, obviously stunned, shook her head in scepticism, whereas Hawkeye proposed that the ball was hitting the center stump despite it appearing to be going down the leg amid typical replays. Including to the bewilderment was the reality that it was a leg-spin conveyance bowled by Wareham, assist befuddling the circumstance. Despite dissent and doubt from Alyssa Healy at the non-striker’s conclusion, Athapaththu had to walk back as per the rules.

The rejection of Athapaththu instantly brought to intellect a comparable occurrence, including Britain’s men’s cricket stalwart Joe Root amid the Ranchi Test between India and Britain. Root, as well, had found himself out due to a questionable Hawkeye projection, where the ball within the replay appeared to pitch outside the line, but the innovation regarded it as falling in line. The mysterious likeness between the two expulsions raised questions about the unwavering quality of the DRS technology.

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Fans and specialists took to social media stages to express their doubt and entertainment at the odd occurrence, once again putting the DRS innovation under scrutiny. In a high-scoring experience, RCB posted a forcing add-up of 198/3 in their 20 overs. Opener Smriti’s sparkling thump of 80 runs off 50 balls, bolstered by Ellyse Perry‘s forceful 58 off 37 and Sabbhineni Meghana’s brisk 28 off 21, set the tone for RCB’s innings. In answer, UP Warriorz, despite a brave exertion by Healy’s quickfire 55 off 38 balls, fell short of the target, overseeing 175/8 in their 20 overs. The taught execution of RCB bowlers, with Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux, and Wareham claiming two wickets each, secured a comfortable win for Illustrious Challengers Bangalore.