India beat Sri Lanka in the one off T20 against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. However, the result could have been different had the match referee made the right call at the toss. India bowled first and restricted Sri Lanka for 170 in 20 overs. This total looked a modest one when India was batting as Virat Kohli was in sublime form like he had been throughout the series.
After the match, it was found that a major blunder was made by the match referee Andy Pycroft. It was found in the videos that Virat Kohli had called heads at the toss. The coin was flipped and tails it was. Pycroft called it wrong as he said “Tails India.” After winning the toss, India chose to bowl first.
It was not it when Murali Kartik who was conducting the toss asked the Sri Lanka captain Upul Tharanga that what he would have done had he won the toss. Tharanga wanted to bowl first too looking at the wicket. Watching the nature of the T20 format who knows what the result would have been if Sri Lanka would have bowled first.
Sri Lanka cricket board has decided to complain the Pycroft, a close source to SLC said:
“Top officials of the SLC sent all the related material of toss blunder to President Mr Sumathipala on Thursday morning. he is traveling at the moment so need to wait till he lands to see what next step is.”
All of this happened after India had defeated the host 3-0 in the Test series and 5-0 in the One Day series. This loss made it even worse for the hosts as it made 9-0 for the visitors on tour. This loss equaled the biggest margin for a tour win. Australia defeated Pakistan by the same margin in 2010 down under.
Sri Lankan cricket board even came up with a video, clarifying what transpired at the toss of the lone T20I.
#SLvInd T20I: Match Referee Andy PYCROFT called it correctly – "Heads India". Watch the video pic.twitter.com/tsYTHv8UCC
— Sri Lanka Cricket ?? (@OfficialSLC) September 8, 2017