Watch: USA, Umpire and Canada’s hurriedness to celebrate rob it of a famous win

In a bizarre turn of events, the United States of America beat arch-rivals Canada in a Super Over in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 Qualifier-Americas, taking place in Antigua and Barbuda. 

The match ended in a controversial way when the USA needed three to win from the last ball and the batter Ali Khan was unable to connect the ball to bat, he ran for a single, but Canadian wicketkeeper Hamza Tariq removed the bails, rolled the ball over to the umpire, which he did not collect. 

In an ideal condition, it should have been the end of the match with the USA losing by one run. But not in this case. Rusty Theron, the former South Africa international who was at the other end when Ali Khan was on strike, kept running and ran the second one, even as the entire Canadian team celebrated. 

The umpire did not object to it and rather declared it two legal runs as by the time that Canadians realised what was happening, the two batters were about to cross over for a third, which was averted by a sharp throw. 

In a game, if the bails are removed by the fiddler himself (not by throwing the ball onto the wicket), the ball is declared dead after it in most cases, but here it could either be called the experience of Theron, the hurriedness of Canada or simply a mistake by the umpire that all this was allowed to happen and Canada, who looked like a deserving winner, were forced to go to the Super Over. 

In the Super Over, Matharu, who had brought back Canada from dead to almost a win, was once again given the responsibility with the ball. But this time around the Americans were up to the task as first Steven Taylor hit two sixes and then Marshal finished with two fours to end the total at 22 at the end of the one over with two wides contributing as well. 

It was always going to be tough to chase 23 and as much as skipper Navneet Dhaliwal and Dillon Heyliger tried, Ian Holland was too accurate to be hit easily and the Canadians finished at 14-0 in the Super over, losing the game by 8 runs. 

Before the last ball drama, Jatinderpal Matharu, the Canadian pacer was to defend 12 off the last six balls against a settled Jaskarana Malhotra, who had recently achieved the feat of hitting six sixes in an over against PNG. 

On the first two balls, only one run was conceded and a settled Malhotra was also run out. Then on the next three balls drama transpired and after scoring eight runs, Karima Gore was adjudged LBW with the USA needing three of the last ball. Rest is now part of history. 

The match shouldn’t have come this close in the first place when the USA were reduced to 44-5 in the first 10 overs. A partnership of 42 runs was developed between Nisarg Patel and Malhotra. Then Malhotra partnered Gore for a 22 ball 45 runs and brought his team back in the game instantly. 

Earlier in the day, Canada scored 142 batting first after skipper Dhaliwal and Ravinderpal Singh remained unbeaten on 44 each to ride through the early breaks.