WATCH: Oh My God, Was Danushka Gunathilaka Wrongly Judged Out In WI vs SL ODI

Obstructing the field: The first ODI match between West Indies and Sri Lanka will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. After all, controversies hog all the limelight these days. Sri Lankan batsman Danushka Gunathilaka was batting well and looked set to give his team a commanding total when he was judged to have obstructed the field and was given out in the first one-day international match at the Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

This rare dismissal has sparked outrage. Surely it wasn't deliberate! ??

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?@windiescricket pic.twitter.com/CRcYmk2l08

— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) March 11, 2021

Danushka Gunathilaka has been given out Obstructing the field. Very difficult to interpret if this was a wilful obstruction. Looks unintentional but has been given out as per the lawspic.twitter.com/CJh3GmzvaN

— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) March 10, 2021

Obstructing the field dismissal

Sri Lanka looked set for the big target. The visitors were 112/1 in 21 overs when the ill-famed incident happened off Kieron Pollard’s bowling.
Danushka Gunathilaka successfully held off against Pollard’s short ball. The ball landed on the pitch, in no man’s land. Pathum Nissanka, the batsman on the other end, was interested in a single, but Gunathilaka, who advanced down the pitch, sent him back and retracted back into his own crease. However, as he did so, he trod on the ball.
Though the on-field umpire deemed the incident worthy of considering as “obstructing the field with the soft signal out, the incident was referred to the third umpire – Nigel Duguid, who declared that Gunathilaka had obstructed the field by kicking the ball away.

Sri Lanka vs West Indies ODI: A Decision That Is Dividing The Cricket World

Several cricketers made their feelings known about the decision. Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody was one of the many who think that the umpire made a wrong call.

“Wilful obstruction” no way was that wilful… #shocker #WIvSL

— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) March 10, 2021

But Brad Hogg supported the umpire’s decisions as he saw Gunathilaka’s actions as an obstruction to the fielder. He also said that Kieron Pollard was right to appeal to the umpire.

Gunathilaka definitely out obstructing the fielder, he had showed no urgency getting back in his crease as 2 fielders converge on the ball, run out opportunity at the other end. Pollard full rights to appeal & umpires have made a good decision. Game Awareness #SLvWI #cricket pic.twitter.com/FLkseX1MES

— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) March 11, 2021

Whether it was a right call or not, there’s no denying that this is the rarest way of a batsman getting out. To put it into context, Gunathilaka became only the eighth player in more than 50 years of one day cricket to be given out for obstructing the field.