Haye re, ye cricket bhi na, kabhi kabhi dil ki dhadkan badha deta hai! World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 mein South Africa ke David Bedingham ne ek aisa moment diya jo sabko thodi der ke liye dang kar gaya. Ball pad ke flap mein phas gayi, aur Bedingham ne jaldi se haath se use nikal kar fek diya. Australia ke khiladiyon ne appeal kiya, lekin umpires ne ball ko dead kar diya. Bedingham ne khud kaha, “Main toh bilkul ghabra gaya tha!” Aur ghabraaye bhi kyun na, jab wicketkeeper Alex Carey unke peeche peeche daud raha tha, jaise koi shikari! Ye wahi Carey hai jo 2023 Ashes mein Jonny Bairstow ke controversial stumping ke liye badnaam hua tha. Tab Lord’s ke crowd ne Carey ko itna sunaaya tha ki teen members ko ban bhi kar diya gaya tha.
Par yahan baat thodi alag thi. Bedingham ke paas mauka tha apni galti chhupane ka, lekin unka ye jaldi-jaldi ball fekna thoda “dodgy” laga, jaise unhone khud kaha. MCC ke Law 20.1.1 ke mutabik, jab ball batter ke equipment ya kapde mein phas jati hai, toh woh dead ball ho jati hai. Lekin thodi si debate is baat pe hui ki kya ball puri tarah se ruki hui thi ya nahi. Commentator Stuart Broad, jo Carey ke 2023 wale kaand ke fan nahi hain, ne kaha, “Ball toh hil rahi thi, Carey daud raha tha, aur Aussies muskura rahe the!” Par umpires Richard Illingworth aur Chris Gaffaney ne faisla kiya ki ball dead thi, aur Australia ke captain Pat Cummins ne bhi kaha ki agar umpire ne dead ball na kaha hota, toh shayad woh appeal wapas le lete.
Ab thodi si tareef South Africa ke liye. Ye team, jo aksar Australia jaise bade teams ke saamne chhoti pad jati hai, ne is match mein dil jeet liya. Bedingham, jo 31 runs pe khel rahe the jab ye incident hua, ne aage ja kar 45 runs banaye aur South Africa ke liye top-score kiya. Unhone captain Temba Bavuma ke saath 64 runs ki partnership bhi banayi jab team 30/4 pe thi. Ye chhoti si ladai dikhati hai ki South Africa, apni chhoti si team ke saath, bade sapne dekh rahi hai. Yaad hai 2001 ka Test match Ahmedabad mein? Jab England ke Michael Vaughan ko handling the ball ke liye out diya gaya tha, kyunki unhone ball ko stumps se dur rakhne ke liye haath lagaya tha. Bedingham ka yeh moment bhi waisa hi ho sakta tha, lekin umpires ke faisle ne unhe bacha liya.
Aur dekho, cricket ke is khel mein South Africa jaise teams ka yeh jazba dil ko chhoo jata hai. Australia, apne bade-bade stars aur defending champion ke tag ke saath, hamesha favourite hota hai. Par jab Bedingham jaise khiladi apni chhoti si team ke liye ladte hain, toh dil mein ek alag hi izzat jagti hai. Unka yeh “panic” wala moment bhi ek tarah se unki insaniyat dikhata hai – kaun nahi ghabrata jab Carey jaisa khiladi peeche pada ho! Bedingham ne kaha, “Slip cordon ne mujhe kaha, ‘ghabrao mat, chhod do,’ lekin main toh us waqt puri tarah se panic mein tha.” Ye dil se dil tak jati hai – ek chhoti team ka khiladi, bade stage pe, apni chhoti si galti se darr gaya, lekin phir bhi ladta raha.
Lekin thodi si khundak bhi hai. Ye cricket ke niyam bhi na, kabhi kabhi itne uljhe hue hote hain ki samajh nahi aata kya sahi hai kya galat. Law 37.3.1 ke mutabik, agar batter wilfully kisi fielder ko catch lene se rokta hai, toh out ho sakta hai. Ab yeh “wilfully” ka panga hai – Bedingham ne jaan bujhkar kiya ya ghabrahat mein, kaun decide karega? Umpires ne toh dead ball kaha, lekin social media pe log chillaye, “@SkyCricket, ye toh handling the ball tha, out hona chahiye tha!” Thodi si shikayat toh banta hai – agar ye Australia ka koi batter hota, toh shayad umpires thodi aur soch-vichar karte. Cricket ka yeh drama kabhi khatam nahi hota, aur shayad isiliye hum sab isse itna pyar karte hain, lekin kabhi kabhi lagta hai, chhoti teams ke saath thodi na-insafi ho hi jati hai.
