Perth: Australian great Greg Chappell has called for a review of the laws of cricket, saying if the ball beats the bat and hits the stumps during a free-hit it should be declared dead to credit the bowlers as the game is already tilted in the favour of batters.
An over-the-waist no ball and three byes off the subsequent free hit in the final over had helped India claim a memorable victory against Pakistan in the ongoing T20 World Cup last week.
However, there has been a lot of discussion around why the free-hit ball was not called dead immediately after it hit the stumps.
Former cricketers have objected that a batter bowled off a free-hit would result in a dead ball that prevents further scoring from the same
delivery.
"I would review that rule to give the bowler credit for the dead ball if he is good enough to beat the bat and hit the stumps," Chappell wrote in his column for 'The Sydney Morning Herald'.
With India needing 13 off three balls, Virat Kohli hit a six off a waist-high full toss which was adjudged a no ball.
"There is no doubt that the umpires got their calls right in the glare of the spotlight, but one must ask: is a ball that is hit for six really a
no-ball?
"The height of a delivery is monitored closely, especially in late overs, because it was often been used as a run saving delivery. But it can't be argued on this occasion that that was the outcome."