Cricket world in disbelief over Steve Smith LBW review blunder

Cricket fans across the world have been left stunned after a Steve Smith blunder had left the World Cup Final in the balance.

It’s rare that a non-review can flip a game, let alone a World Cup Final, on its head but Steve Smith has done just that.

The cricket World Cup Final was hanging in the balance at 2/47 ahead of the final ball of the seventh over as Australia chased India’s modest 241 to claim a sixth title.

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Indian quick Jasprit Bumrah was steaming in, bouncing back after going for 15 in his first over and proving to be a handful for the Aussie batters.

Bowling the final ball of the over to Smith, Bumrah bowled a lovely ball angling in to the right-handed Aussie’s stumps with umpire Richard Illingworth’s finger raised almost immediately as it hit the pad.

It sent India into hysterics as they looked to have claimed Australia’s third wicket.

Smith, as is commonplace in international cricket in 2023, spoke to his partner Travis Head about whether he should review, but was persuaded to accept the decision.

However, he chose wrong.

Oh no – Steve Smith was not out. Photo: Fox Sports

Had Smith reviewed, he would have been not out as his lateral movement across the crease put him outside the line of off-stump.

Even if it was going to hit the stumps, if a batter is struck outside the line of the stumps, the call should be not out.

Former Indian star Dinesh Karthik was celebrating in the commentary box, but said that Smith “would be regretting that”.

For the Australians in the commentary box — Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson — it was a brutal blow as one of Australia’s best batters was dismissed when he should have still been batting.

“When Steve Smith sees that replay, it’s going to break his heart even more,” Ponting said.

“My heart’s just broken after seeing that. That will break the Aussie hearts for sure,” Watson agreed.

Karthik even offered: “In a way, sadly, it sums up a little bit of the mind set as well. If it was a Test Match, I can promise you Steven Smith would have definitely thought about reviewing it because he is the most important wicket.

“I don’t know how he was convinced to not take the review today.”

It was a blow that Australia didn’t need.

India were happy though. Photo by Punit PARANJPE / AFP

While the run rate was under control after a fast start by David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, it left Australia reeling with plenty of runs still to score.

And the cricket world couldn’t believe a batter like Smith just accepted it.

Managing editor for Wisden Ben Gardner wrote: “Has Steve Smith just not reviewed the World Cup final?”

He then added: “Steve Smith is convinced every lbw ever given against him isn’t out except for the one that isn’t actually out.”

AAP’s Scott Bailey posted: “The one time Steve Smith doesn’t review …”

BBC Test Match Special commentator Aatif Nawaz commented: “A huge mistake from Steve Smith. The replay showed impact was way outside off. Even if it wasn’t close, you wouldn’t begrudge your best batter taking a review with 2 in the bank. Could be costly …”

Cricbuzz’s Bharat Sundaresan added: “Perhaps the Jasprit Bumrah delivery was so good, and it was, that even Steve Smith decided it deserved a wicket & didn’t review. Bizarre to see him not go for a DRS and that too in a World Cup final.”

The Age’s Andrew Wu lamented: “There was a time when Steve Smith would have reviewed that straight away. There was also a time when he wouldn’t have missed the ball either.”

PakPassion.net editor Saj Sadiq said: “For an experienced cricketer like Steve Smith to not review that LBW was shocking.”

I screamed that was “impact outside” in real time when this happened.. Watching from a T.V.

What is the excuse for an umpire being there right in front of it and not get it right?

Whats even more ridiculous is that a quality player like Steve Smith not reviewing that. 😉 pic.twitter.com/8O4qcouv3W

— Kanishka Roshan (@KrosaniTy) November 19, 2023

Steve Smith got beaten so badly that he gave up morally.

— Gabbar (@GabbbarSingh) November 19, 2023

It was a big moment in the match. Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP

Iceland Cricket couldn’t help itself.

“Steve Smith clearly believed the rumours that the Indian DRS gives every lbw out if it’s a non Indian batter,” the account posted.

It could have been a game-changing moment for Australia but after the wicket Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne steadied the ship.

Head, who may feel somewhat responsible for Smith’s dismissal, brought up 50, while Labuschagne was taking his time at the other end with the run-rate well under control.

After 30 overs, Australia was 3/167, with the pair having shared a partnership of 120.

Originally published as Cricket world in disbelief over Steve Smith LBW review blunder