Questions were raised and still continue to be asked on the standard of umpiring or the controversies surrounding on-field cricket decisions as it happened in the third and final ODI between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at the Pallekele International Stadium on Wednesday night.
In this case Afghanistan were more at the receiving end of questionable umpiring decisions than Sri Lanka that even prompted television commentator Russel Arnold to raise the question of whether there was justice in the match.
In the first instance Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka held what looked like a catch at midwicket against a shot from Afghanistan batter Najibullah Zadran but did no claim it wholesale and the on-field umpires put the ruling in the hands of television umpire Ravindra Wimalasiri who ruled it Out despite on-field umpire Lindon Hannibal giving what is called the soft signal as Not Out.
Zadran was massacring the Sri Lankan bowlers at that stage and left the field with his score on 77.
Then came the second ruling by Wimalasiri who declared that Dinesh Chandimal was Not Out after the on-field umpires called for replays to check on a catch claimed by the Afghanistan fielder at first slip off-Rashid Khan while giving the soft signal as Out.
One of the questions raised is that if television umpire Wimalasiri has the best eye-sight in the world to go against on-field umpires, of what good are the best on-field umpires to decide the failure or success of cricketers on the field of play.