Simon Taufel passes his verdict on the dead-ball controversy in the final over of the India-Pakistan game at the MCG

There has been a lot of noise about Team India stealing three crucial runs against Pakistan when the ball went onto hit Virat Kohli's stumps on the free-hit delivery bowled by Nawaz in the final over of the thriller at the MCG. Pakistan had claimed that since the ball rattled the stumps, it should have been a dead ball.

Former Australian umpire, and a notable figure in the world of officiating, Simon Taufel cleared the air around once and for all after those three runs turned out to be a game-changer with the Pakistani players appealing vehemently for the dead ball. The umpire was clear in his standpoint, quoting the exact ICC rule stating that those runs were absolutely valid.

Sharing his views on his social media handle, Simon Taufel said, “After the exciting climax to the India v Pakistan match at the MCG last night, I've been asked by many to explain the Byes that India scored after Kohli was bowled off the free hit.”

Talking about the verdict on the dead ball debate, Taufel said, “The umpire made the right decision in signaling Byes after the batters ran three following the ball hitting the stumps and rolling down to 3rd man. For a free hit, the striker cannot be out bowled, and therefore the ball is NOT dead on hitting the stumps - the ball is still in play and all conditions under the Laws for Byes are satisfied.”

Simon Taufel puts an end to dead-ball controversy!#INDvsPAK #T20WorldCup #SimonTaufel pic.twitter.com/7WW7Gk0Lal

— Siddharth Thakur (@fvosid) October 24, 2022

Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya put together an important 113-run partnership that now holds the record for India’s highest stand against Pakistan in the shortest format of the game, and was also crucial in shaping the fate of the game. Despite a wobble in the final over with India losing both Pandya and Karthik, Ravichandran Ashwin kept his cool to loft Nawaz over the in-field and score the winning runs.