Women’s World Cup 2025: Umpiring Under Scrutiny, DRS Decisions Spark Controversy

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The ongoing Women’s World Cup 2025 has come under criticism for the declining standard of umpiring. From the start of the tournament till Friday, several questionable decisions have stirred controversy, especially those involving the Decision Review System (DRS). The most debated incident occurred during the England vs Bangladesh match, related to a catch involving Heather Knight.

Heather Knight was caught at a score of 13 by Shorna Akter, a low catch that seemed legitimate. As Knight began walking off, TV umpire Gayathri Venugopalan overturned the on-field decision citing “inconclusive evidence,” sparking outrage. Earlier in the same match, another on-field catch decision had also been reversed by the third umpire.

In Colombo, during the India vs Pakistan game, controversy erupted over Muneeba Ali’s run-out decision. Initially, the TV umpire declared her not out on the big screen, but moments later changed it to out after re-examining the footage. Reports suggest that umpire Kerrin Klaaste had given the initial verdict without reviewing the complete clip, leading to confusion and protests from Muneeba and captain Fatima Sana, who sought clarification from the fourth umpire.

Similarly, during the India vs South Africa match, the DRS decision in Sune Luus’s LBW case drew criticism. Third umpire Candace La Borde ruled it “not out,” claiming a faint inside edge, even though replays showed visible space between the bat and ball at the time of impact. In another incident, during the India vs Australia game, confusion prevailed when a catch by Sneh Rana to dismiss Alyssa Healy was first ruled “not out” and then overturned to “out.”

Experts say such inconsistent decisions have affected match outcomes and raised questions about the experience level of TV umpires. Out of ten TV umpires officiating in this World Cup, only three have worked in more than 20 DRS-enabled matches, while three have never officiated a single One-Day International using DRS. The lack of experience has led to frequent judgment errors, putting the credibility of umpiring at stake in women’s cricket’s biggest tournament.