Lalit Modi Cautions IPL On Poor Officiating, Criticizes Management

MUMBAI-Former Indian Premier League commissioner and league founder Lalit Modi has urged the IPL Governing Council to appoint world-class match officials, saying the tournament cannot afford inconsistent or poor decision-making.

Modi’s remarks came after the latest umpiring controversy involving Kolkata Knight Riders batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi during a recent match against Lucknow Super Giants.

Raghuvanshi slipped while attempting to make his ground after being sent back by his batting partner. The throw struck his body, leading Lucknow Super Giants players to appeal. The third umpire ruled him out for obstructing the field, triggering debate over whether there was any deliberate intent to block the ball.

Reacting to the incident, Modi said questionable decisions damage the credibility of the league.

“The IPL is the most valuable cricket league in the world — it cannot afford sub-standard officiating. When decisions are rushed and inconsistent, it damages the credibility of the competition. The BCCI must take responsibility and restore the level of professionalism that once made the league the global benchmark,” Lalit Modi said on April 28.

Modi said that during his tenure he prioritized the use of leading international officials through the International Cricket Council.

He alleged that those standards had been replaced with cheaper alternatives and called for reforms.

Modi also criticized the current administration of the game and warned against lowering standards.

“The problem is that the people governing the game have no stake in the game. So, really don’t know what they are doing – very unfortunate. Cutting corners is a sure way of slowly downgrading the game. Wake up,” he said. (IANS)