Dhir’s delivery crashed into the stumps and Campbell appeared to be clean bowled. But there was a twist.
The Wicket That Never Counted
As Dhir delivered the ball, his towel fell onto the field. Campbell noticed it before the ball reached him and pulled away from the delivery.
The umpire subsequently called dead ball, meaning the delivery was not considered valid and Campbell could not be given out.
For Dhir, what looked like a dream start to his international career suddenly turned into frustration.
Campbell Gets a Lifeline
At the time, Campbell was batting aggressively and had already made 39 runs from 33 balls.
The dead-ball decision meant he received another opportunity to continue his innings — turning what appeared to be Dhir’s breakthrough into one of the most unusual moments of the match.
Dhir Eventually Gets His Catch
Dhir did eventually have a role in a West Indies dismissal.
Later in the innings, Matthew Forde attempted to clear long-on, but failed to get the required distance. Dhir ran in and completed the catch off Nitish Kumar Reddy’s bowling.
However, Dhir finished his bowling spell without a wicket, conceding 33 runs from five overs.
A Debut He Won’t Forget
International debuts are usually remembered for wickets, runs or spectacular catches. For Naman Dhir, however, his first ODI will be remembered for something far more unusual.
He thought he had his first international wicket.
The stumps were shattered.
But the umpire’s dead-ball call changed everything.