The margin of Karnataka's two-run win in a South Zone T20 match led to confusion, controversy and a miffed Hyderabad side because two runs had been added to Karnataka's total after their innings had ended for a piece of play that happened near the start of the match.
In the the second over of Karnataka's innings after fielder Mehdi Hasan's foot came in contact with the ropes during an attempt to stop the ball at deep midwicket. The batsmen ran two and, though the on-field umpires Abhijit Deshmukh and Ulhas Gandhe let play continue without referring it to the third umpire, replays showed Hassan's foot had touched the boundary when he made contact with the ball. Karnataka's total was increased from 203 for 5 to 205 for 5 just before Hyderabad's chase began after captain Vinay Kumar was seen remonstrating with the umpire.
Ambati Rayudu, who was leading Hyderabad, was unhappy with how the issue was handled. He said his team had gone into the chase keeping in mind a target of 204 and when they fell one run short, they thought they had earned a Super Over. It was not to be for Hyderabad, whose subsequent objections delayed the start of the next match at the same ground, between Kerala and Andhra, to the extent that it was shortened to 13-overs-a side.
The BCCI has taken cognizance of the events that unfolded during and after the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2018 match today between Hyderabad-Karnataka. An official report by the Match Referee is awaited, following which appropriate action as per BCCI's Code of Conduct will be taken
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 11, 2018
"There was some confusion in the middle at the start of our innings," Rayudu told reporters after the match. "What I went and told the umpire was 'sir, you cannot change the score, we are batting for 204 as our target'. That is exactly what I told him and he told me 'we'll see it at the end, let the match start'. Vinay Kumar stopped for nine minutes before the second innings. They had no business to stop the match once the target was declared. Then, what we said was we were playing for 204, and that was my exact words.
"At the end, we went and asked to start the Super Over. That is exactly our point of contention. We never even thought of stopping the second match. That has got nothing to do with us. We were saying that our match was not complete, we still have to play the Super Over. That is exactly why we went to the middle, we were actually going to warm-up then."
Rayudu was especially miffed with the decision being overturned just before the start of their chase. "I'm sure of the rules. If he had changed [the decision] immediately then it would have been perfect," he said. "Even if somebody gets out and you come inside and see that it's not out, you don't call the person back. Even in case of a no-ball not correctly called, you cannot call somebody back or add the scores. I don't know what has happened but we were playing for 204. That is exactly what I wanted to tell and we were waiting for the Super Over which never happened."
Needing eight runs from the final over bowled by Stuart Binny, Hyderabad lost three wickets, with wicketkeeper CM Gautam completing a fine one-handed catch diving to his right off the last ball. Hyderabad's chase was led by opener Akshath Reddy's blistering 29-ball 70 which included seven sixes. However, once Binny dismissed Reddy, Hyderabad's momentum began to sag until B Sandeep struck a 19-ball 34. His run-out off the second ball of the last over, though, put paid to Hyderabad's chances. Binny was the pick of the Karnataka bowlers with three wickets, while their batting was led by Karun Nair's 42-ball 77 and K Gowtham's 31-ball 57.