‘I’ve lost years of my life’: Three Super Overs, three New Zealand defeats and the same commentator

If you thought New Zealand were the unlucky ones after losing the third T20I to India in Super Over on Wednesday then spare some thought for former New Zealand wicket-keeper-turned commentator Ian Smith. In last 7 months, New Zealand have lost all three Super Overs they have been a part of in limited overs cricket and in all three of those Ian Smith was in the commentary box.

Cricketers and also the ones describing their on-field activity during live broadcast may not be a firm believer of it but the New Zealand-Ian Smith Super Over results force even the most rational ones to think about the‘commentator’s curse’ at least once.

It all started when New Zealand ended up second best because of the controversial boundary count rule – which was later revoked – against England in the ODI World Cup 2019 final. It continued to Eden Park, Auckland when the same two sides met in a T20I in November last year with New Zealand once again losing the Super Over. On Friday at Hamilton, the same thing was repeated as India beat New Zealand in dramatic circumstances in the Super Over.

Apart from the likes of Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Mitchell Santner – who were part of all three Super Over defeats – commentator Ian Smith too made his presence felt in the commentary box.

The pressure of the Super Over was such that Smith even went on to say that he has lost some years of his life because of them.

“If this Super Over ends in a tie, I’m retired. I’ve lost my years of life (calling three super overs in just over six months), but I love it. I absolutely love it,” Smith said while commentating.

As fate would have it, the match did not need another Super Over as Rohit Sharma hit two massive sixes off Tim Southee when 10 runs were needed off 2 balls to seal the match and the series – India’s first ever T20I series in New Zealand.

“Super Overs aren’t really our friends. To be honest we would have liked to get across the line earlier and not in the Super Over. It’s just a shame that we couldn’t get past the line,” said a disappointed Williamson at the post-match press conference.

“It is pretty disappointing to be on the wrong side of the result after doing a lot of hard work. (But) There was a lot of improvement after the first two games,” Williamson added

The two sides meet again for the fourth T20I at Wellington on Friday.