Super Over in MOU, so how come tie result in India v SL ODI last Friday?

Sri Lanka players walk back to the pavilion after the first ODI against India ends in a tie at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo on August 2. Pic/AFP

The thrilling first One-Day International (ODI) of the ongoing three-match series between India and Sri Lanka here has sparked a debate in the cricket fraternity following the decision of the ICC match officials to forgo a Super Over to enforce a result out of that tied game.

Initially, it was believed that tie-breaker over was only applicable in ICC and multi-team events, where a result is mandatory. However, a Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that a Super Over was indeed an option, as per the ICC's December 2023 ODI playing conditions. This provision is also included in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by both boards for this ongoing tour, making it applicable to this series.

The ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions were last amended in December 2023 and Clause 16.3.1.1 states all ODI matches ending in a tie shall have a Super Over unless conditions don't allow it to be played.

According to the rule, "If the team's scores are equal after both innings have been completed then a Super Over shall be played. If the Super Over is a tie, then unless exceptional circumstances arise, subsequent Super Overs shall be played until there is a winner. Should it not be possible to play or complete the Super Overs needed to determine a winner, the match shall be tied."

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The unexpected omission of a ‘Super Over' has left fans and other stakeholders questioning the reasoning behind this breach of playing conditions. It was the collective responsibility of the ICC match officials - Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle, On-field Umpires Joel Wilson and Raveendra Wimalasiri, Reserve Umpire Ruchira Pallyaguruge, and TV Umpire Paul Reiffel - to adhere to the pre-decided playing conditions. As of now, there has been no official clarification from the match officials or the ICC regarding the omission of the ‘Super Over' in Friday's game.

If this was an oversight, it would be considered a serious blunder by the ICC Match officials, as it denied both teams and their fans the proper conclusion of a riveting game as stipulated by the updated rules.

Meanwhile, according to a report published in ‘The Morning Telegraph,' an ICC official stated that should another tie occur in the ongoing ODI series, a Super Over will be enforced as per the latest playing regulations for Men's ODIs.

"Two wrongs won't make one right," the unnamed ICC official has been quoted saying.

Previous Instances:

There have been prior instances of Men's tied ODIs being decided by a Super Over. The most famous instance was the 2019 ICC Men's ODI World Cup final between England and New Zealand. Furthermore, a 2020 ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe was decided through a Super Over due to a bilateral agreement between the Pakistan Cricket Board and Zimbabwe Cricket.

The last ODI that featured a ‘Super Over' was the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier on June 26, 2023, between West Indies and Netherlands in Harare, where the Dutch team secured a famous victory to qualify for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.