Kumar Dharmasena admits his 'error' in World Cup 2019 final overthrow controversy
Colombo: The umpire who awarded England six runs from a freak overthrow in the last over of the World Cup final has admitted he made an "error" and should have given one run fewer, a report said on Sunday.
A throw to the stumps deflected off the bat of a diving Ben Stokes as he tried to complete a second run and raced to the boundary, with Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena awarding six runs to England. Three balls later, the scores at 50 overs were tied as England had reached 241 all-out replying to New Zealand's 241-8.
It took the nail-biting final to a Super Over which again was tied but England lifted the trophy by virtue of having scored more boundaries. Critics, including former umpire Simon Taufel, said England should have been awarded five runs, not six, as the batsmen had not crossed for the second run at the moment the ball was thrown.
Former Sri Lankan Test player Dharmasena told the Sunday Times that he did not have the benefit of television replays which could show that the batsmen had not crossed. "I agree that there was an error of judgement when I see it on TV replays now," said Dharmasena, who was umpiring the final with South Africa's Marais Erasmus.
"But we did not have the luxury of TV replays at the ground and I do not regret the decision I made," Dharmasena said he signalled six after consulting the other match officials. "So, I did consult the leg umpire (Erasmus) through the communication system which is heard by all other umpires and the match referee," he told the newspaper.
"While they cannot check TV replays, they all confirmed that the batsmen have completed the second run. This is when I made my decision." Taufel had told Fox Sports Australia that the umpires made a "clear mistake" as the batsmen had not crossed for their second run.
But the Australian also defended the match umpires, who he said, had to make a complicated judgement and said it would be "unfair" to say the decision altered the outcome of the tournament as it was impossible to know what would have happened in the final balls had five runs been awarded.
Courtesy: www.firstpost.com
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Jio Studios has withdrawn its trademark application for 'Operation Sindoor': Reliance Industries
Mumbai: Reliance Industries has clarified that it has no intention of trademarking the term "Operation Sindoor", describing it as an evocative symbol of Indian bravery that belongs to the national consciousness. The company issued a statement on Friday, stating that its media arm, Jio Studios, had filed a trademark application inadvertently and without proper authorisation.
The statement read, "Jio Studios, a unit of Reliance Industries, has withdrawn its trademark application, which was filed inadvertently by a junior person without authorisation." It added that the company and all its stakeholders take immense pride in Operation Sindoor, which was launched by the Indian Armed Forces in response to a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam. "Operation Sindoor is the proud achievement of our brave Armed Forces in India's uncompromising fight against the evil of terrorism," the company stated.
The clarification came after reports emerged that Reliance Industries, along with three other individuals, had submitted trademark applications for the term 'Operation Sindoor' under Class 41 of the Nice Classification. According to a report by Bar and Bench, the applications were filed between 10:42 am and 6:27 pm on May 7 by Reliance Industries, Mumbai resident Mukesh Chetram Agrawal, retired Group Captain Kamal Singh Oberh of the Indian Air Force, and Delhi-based lawyer Alok Kothari. All four had marked the term as “proposed to be used,” suggesting possible commercial use in the future.
Class 41 of the Nice Classification covers a wide range of services, including education and training, film and media production, live performances, digital content and publishing, and cultural or sporting events. It is a category commonly used by OTT platforms, broadcasters, production houses, and event organisers—leading to speculation that 'Operation Sindoor' might be used as a title for a film, documentary, or series.
The incident also sheds light on the lack of legal protection for the names of military operations in India. Currently, the Ministry of Defence does not register or treat such names as intellectual property, and they are not automatically safeguarded. This means that private individuals or companies can file trademark claims over such names unless specific legal steps are taken to prevent it.
