IND vs NZ 2nd T20I: NZ batsman Daryl Mitchell's controversial LBW raises new debate on DRS
Auckland, Feb 8: An inside edge was apparent even without the Hotspot technology but New Zealand batsman Daryl Mitchell fell to a contentious LBW call during the second T20 International against India which also triggered a debate on the spirit of the game.
Mitchell, who made his debut in the first T20 in Wellington, was at the centre of a massive DRS controversy during the second game here.
He was given out LBW to Krunal Pandya in the seventh over of New Zealand's innings by the on-field umpires and opted for a review on the insistence of his skipper Kane Williamson, who was at the non-striker's end.
TV replays clearly showed there was an inside edge and a huge spot on the hotspot could also be detected as the ball passed the bat but he was still given out by third umpire Shaun Haig.
"This is a horror decision," said the on-air commentators.
Williamson expressed his dismay to the umpires and asked to Mitchell to stop.
The situation became a little animated when former captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had a word with Williamson and the umpire in the presence of captain Rohit Sharma.
But in the end, the on-field umpires went by the rule book and Mitchell had to make his way back to the dugout.
The only way Mitchell could have survived was if Rohit had called him back after replays on the big screen made it clear that there was an inside edge before the ball hit the batsman's pads.
But the Kiwis, bestowed the spirit of the game award by the ICC quite often, had to accept the controversial call.
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Karnataka Lokayukta to register case, probe Bowring wall collapse
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Lokayukta Justice B S Patil on Thursday took serious note of the compound wall collapse at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in the city that killed seven people, and announced registration of a case on its own while warning of action against officials found responsible.
The Lokayukta, who visited the site and conducted an inspection, expressed strong displeasure over the incident and questioned the inaction of authorities, even as police and emergency teams had earlier rushed to the spot to rescue victims trapped under the debris following heavy rain, strong winds and a hailstorm on Wednesday evening.
“I will now register a suo motu case. This is not just about this one incident — such incidents must not occur anywhere in the state or the city in the future,” Justice Patil told reporters.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured when the compound wall collapsed as rain-battered victims had taken shelter near it, according to police. The victims included people from Kerala who were in the city on a study tour.
Calling for systemic accountability, the Lokayukta said, “Dilapidated buildings and weakened compound walls, especially in areas with public access, must first be identified. They must either be repaired, demolished, or rebuilt.”
He added that responsibility would be fixed on officials of the BBMP and the concerned departments.
Justice Patil said that hearings would be conducted and preventive action initiated, while also probing those responsible for it, how the incident could have been prevented, and why it was not prevented.
A Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) team and a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team also inspected the site, while police cordoned off Kovil Street to facilitate the probe.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the government had initiated measures following the rain-related incidents and stressed preparedness.
“Since last night we have initiated measures regarding the rains. When it rains heavily, we must be prepared, and we are working towards that,” he told reporters here.
On the wall collapse, Shivakumar said, “I will not directly blame any officials. It was an old wall, and trees had grown alongside it. Due to that pressure, it collapsed.”
The Deputy CM said instructions had been issued to identify such vulnerable structures and clear areas around them, including relocating street vendors.
Karnataka Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said a technical assessment had been ordered.
“This is a very serious matter. Innocent people have been affected. We are issuing directions to the engineers to find out why this compound wall collapsed and to assess its structural strength,” he told reporters after inspecting the spot.
The Minister noted that the wall was ‘very old’ and required thorough examination to prevent recurrence.
Speaking to reporters, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asked the Karnataka government to take precautions to ensure that incidents like the collapse of the Bengaluru government hospital compound wall, which caused loss of life, should not repeat.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad said the collapse raised questions about construction and maintenance practices.
“If a wall collapses within 25 years of its construction, it needs to be examined -- whether there was any technical issue, or if anything was altered inside, weakening it. All this can only come out through a technical investigation,” he said.
The Congress MLA also called for wider structural audits across the city, stating that all such structures, whether private or government, must be audited.
He urged citizens to support victims, saying it was a collective responsibility in times of crisis.
