Matthew Hayden calls out umpire on live TV for glaring error in India-West Indies contest: ‘What sort of call is that?’

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden wasn't pleased with the umpiring in the T20 world Cup Super 8s match between India and the West Indies.

Updated on: Mar 2, 2026, 06:05:38 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Former Australia opening batter Matthew Hayden wasn't a happy chappy looking at the glaring umpiring error in the crucial T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s Group 1 match between India and the West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday. While the call was corrected within seconds, Hayden didn't mince his words as he called out the on-field umpire, Alex Wharf, on live TV. The incident happened on the fourth delivery of the 19th over, bowled by Arshdeep Singh.

Kolkata: India's Hardik Pandya with teammates celebrates. (PTI)

The left-arm pacer bowled a delivery that landed way outside off stump, and it was a clear wide. However, Wharf left everyone surprised by not giving it a wide, much to the displeasure of batters Jason Holder and Rovman Powell.

The replays then appeared on the screen immediately, and it was evident that the on-field umpire had erred in his judgment. Looking at the clip, Hayden said, “That has to be a wide. What sort of call is that? Has to be some action there.”

Also Read: India vs West Indies Live Score, T20 World Cup 2026: Check our live coverage here

Wharf, however, reversed his call after having a quick conversation with the third umpire Richard Kettleborough.

Speaking of the must-win match between India and the West Indies, the former won the toss and opted to bowl first. West Indies posted 195/4 in 20 overs after Roston Chase (40), Shimron Hetmyer (27), Rovman Powell (34*) and Jason Holder (37*) chipped in with crucial knocks.

The total would have been all the more daunting had Bumrah not dismissed Hetmyer and Chase in the same over. The pacer was the pick of the Indian bowlers, returning with figures of 2/36.

All to play for in Kolkata

There's everything to play for both India and the Windies at the Eden Gardens as the winner will qualify for the semi-finals and take on England in the second semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5.

Speaking about the score of 195/4, Powell said he believes the team managed to post a respectable total and will give India a solid fight in Kolkata.

“It's a good total. If we're honest with ourselves, it's a very good wicket. Would've liked 10-15 more runs. Good to get some runs, good to put the team in a position where we can fight,” he told the host broadcaster.

During the course of his unbeaten 34-run knock, Powell also became the leading six-hitter for the West Indies in T20Is.

“Good record, goes to show the longevity and the hard work and dedication I've given for WI cricket,” said Powell.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.