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The Kettleborough Curse: Umpire's Decision in WC Final Sparks Outrage Among Indian Fans

image-lp5mrix7Richard Kettleborough and Jasprit Bumrah during the World Cup 2023 final (Twitter)

In a dramatic turn of events at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the ICC World Cup 2023 final between India and Australia was marred by controversy surrounding umpire Richard Kettleborough's decision-making.

IND vs AUS: Kettleborough's role in India's ICC tournament losses draws renewed attention

During the 28th over, Indian pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, delivered a menacing inswinging yorker that struck Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne on the pads, leading to an impassioned appeal for a leg-before wicket.

Despite the intense appeal, umpire Kettleborough remained unmoved, ruling it not out. India, recognizing the crucial nature of the dismissal, challenged the decision, only for the replay to reveal that the ball was marginally clipping the leg stump. Under the Decision Review System (DRS) guidelines, this was insufficient to overturn Kettleborough's original decision, granting Labuschagne a dramatic stay at the crease.


This incident fuelled widespread discontent among Indian fans and sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, with many criticizing Kettleborough's judgment. The situation gains additional gravity considering Kettleborough's history in matches involving India.

Since 2013, India has experienced heartbreak in 10 ICC tournaments, with Kettleborough being on-field or the TV umpire in 8 of these crucial matches. His presence in key defeats, including the T20 World Cup final in 2014 against Sri Lanka, the 2015 ODI World Cup semi-final against Australia, and the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, has drawn attention to a perceived pattern of misfortune for India when he officiates.

Here's how fans slammed Kettleborough for his decision that save Labuschagne and compounded the Indian team’s misery: