IPL 2023: Ex-umpire Daryl Harper slams MS Dhoni for wasting time to allow Matheesha Pathirana to bowl against GT

New Delhi: MS Dhoni’s long discussion on-field umpired in the Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans invited a lot of criticism in the cricket fraternity. A rare occasion where the CSK skipper allegedly did not uphold the spirit of the game and ex-ICC umpire Daryl Harper slammed Dhoni for his act. He called Dhoni’s act ‘disrespectful’ and ‘disappointing’.

Impact Player Matheesha Pathirana was given the ball to bowl the 16th over in the game, but the umpires did not allow it. As per the law, a player who leaves the field for any reason for more than eight minutes needs to be on the field for the same duration to be allowed to bowl. Pathirana had to be on the field for about four more minutes but Dhoni went on to discuss the matter with the umpires and it led to the bowler being on the field for the required time and bowling the over.

Talking to Mid Day, Daryl Harper said that Dhoni wasted time allowing his preferred bowling option to bowl the 16th over. He said that his concern was the lack of respect towards the spirit of cricket and for the directions of the umpires. He added that there were other bowling but the captain ignored them.

Making a big statement, the former umpire taunted that some people are bigger than the law or the spirit of the game. He added that it was disappointing to see that some people go to any lengths to win.

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar, who was on-air, also criticised Dhoni’s tactics and said that one should accept the umpire’s decisions.

In the game, CSK scored 172 after Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 60 off 44 and Devon Conway hit 40(34). In reply, GT could only put up 157 runs and CSK became the first team to be through to the finals of IPL 2023.