Smriti Mandhana bats for neutral umpires after controversy mars IND-W vs BAN-W third ODI

“I am sure that ICC, the BCB and the BCCI will definitely have a discussion and maybe we have a neutral umpiring system so that we do not sit here having this discussion,” Mandhana said.

FILE PHOTO: India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Harmanpreet Kaur might have gone ballistic but India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was more tempered in her criticism of Bangladeshi umpires Muhammad Kamruzzaman and Tanvir Ahmed after the third ODI on Saturday was tied with some debatable decisions coming under the scanner.

Both teams were locked at identical score of 225 and the series ended in a 1-1 draw.

Skipper Kaur courted controversy after she was adjudged leg-before off a Nahida Akter delivery while trying to sweep. She claimed that the ball hit the bat before hitting the pads. She broke the stumps in disgust and termed the umpiring “pathetic” in the post-match presentation.

“What did you think?” Mandhana shot back when questioned about the umpiring.

“In any match, sometimes it happens that you are not really happy with the kind of… especially when there is no DRS in the series this time,” Mandhana said.

IND-W vs BAN-W Highlights 3rd ODI: India batting collapses in 225 chase, match tied

“We expect a little better level — I would term it in a better way that, better level of umpiring in terms of some decisions, because it was very evident in some decisions, there was not even a second thought given if the ball hit the pad. Not even one-second thought was given and the finger went up,” Mandhana added.

She hoped having neutral umpires would be the way forward.

“I am sure that ICC (International Cricket Council), the BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) and the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) will definitely have a discussion on that, maybe we have a neutral umpiring system so that we do not sit here having this discussion, maybe we can focus on cricket and cricket-oriented questions,” she said.

Talking about Kaur’s actions being contrary to the ‘spirit of cricket’, Mandhana said that will be a discussion for another day.

“What happened in the middle is part and parcel of the game. We have seen these incidents so much in the past in men’s cricket,” Mandhana said.

“When you play for India, you want to win the match. It happens in the heat of the moment, but I think she was not really happy with the decision given (against her). She was given out and she felt that she was not out,” she added.

“When you want to win so badly, I think the spirit of the game and all those things, definitely we can talk about later. But knowing Harman as a person, knowing how much she wants to win for India, from the spirit of the game (perspective) that it is (wrong), but yeah, when you really want that ‘W’ on the board for India, these things happen.”