Aussies Outfoxed in Controversial Series Finale: Wade Calls “Dudded” After Wide Not Called
Australia’s T20 tour of India ended on a sour note as they slumped to a dramatic six-run defeat in the series finale, leaving skipper Matthew Wade fuming after a late no-wide call proved pivotal.
Despite securing the series 4-1, India’s victory in Bengaluru was marred by controversy, with Wade adamant the Aussies were “dudded” in the final over.
Chasing 161, Australia needed 10 off the last six balls. Arshdeep Singh’s opening delivery sailed over Wade’s head, yet the square-leg umpire remained unmoved, much to the Aussie captain’s fury. “Dot ball” it was, with Wade throwing his arms up in disbelief.
The decision proved costly. The next two balls yielded just a single, and Wade holed out on the third, leaving Australia reeling. The drama continued when non-striker’s umpire blocked Nathan Ellis’ powerful drive, costing Australia a crucial boundary. A single was all they could manage, falling short at 8-154.
Speaking after the match, a frustrated Matthew Wade lamented, “Can’t wrap my head around it. We bowled well, kept them to a chaseable total, but it’s disappointing.”
He felt a 3-2 scoreline would’ve better reflected the series, highlighting positives like Ben McDermott’s 54 and strong bowling performances from Tanvir Sangha and Aaron Hardie.
While Sangha and Hardie impressed earlier, restricting India to 160, McDermott’s early fireworks were eclipsed by Wade’s three consecutive boundaries off Avesh Khan, briefly turning the tide. Alas, the no-wide call proved a turning point, leaving Australia “dudded” and Wade fuming.
Although India emerged victorious, the final T20 will be seen as a controversial match for the Aussies. It will remain unknown how much much of change the call to wide ball would have left on the match.
For Australia, it’s a bitter pill to swallow, leaving them with questions and a sense ofinjustice. For India, it’s a big step towards building a new team which is full of talented youngsters.
The series had a few high scoring encounters but coming to the end, we saw tough competition between bat and ball. Wade will definitely feel unhappy, also because throughout the series, there have been many tough call by the umpires.
