People are just creating chaos, says Aakash Chopra on India’s controversial win over Japan

India defeated Japan by two runs in a rain-hit T20I at Sano International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, in a five-over-per-side contest. India’s captain Shreyas Iyer scored 16 as the team posted 32 for 4 in five overs. Japan fought hard but couldn’t get over the line in what turned out to be a nail-biting finish.

The match outcome sparked controversy on social media after an on-field wide decision was reversed during Japan’s final over, with some fans alleging that India had pressured the umpire into changing the call.

The controversy centred on a delivery bowled by Axar Patel to batter Alexander Shirai-Patmore in Japan’s final over. Shirai-Patmore attempted a reverse-hit against the ball, which went down the leg side. On-field umpire Chris Thurgate initially called it a wide. However, after discussion with square-leg umpire Chris Brown of New Zealand, the decision was reversed. Japan needed eight runs in that final over, and the reversal of the wide call proved decisive in India’s two-run victory.

However, Aakash Chopra slammed the naysayers, as he supported the decision that the umpires eventually arrived at.

“People are saying that India beat Japan by cheating. This is being said because a wide was overturned, and the decision was reversed because India put pressure. People are just creating chaos. There are a lot of people who want to abuse India. You cannot say that we won unfairly, because it was not unfair,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Why the wide decision was reversed

Former India opener Aakash Chopra slammed critics questioning India’s two-run win and explained the reasoning behind the umpire’s decision reversal. He outlined how the regulations treat switch hits and reverse sweeps under the same framework.

“My understanding at the time was actually wrong. If you don’t hit the switch hit, if you have not swapped your hands, that means you have not become a right-handed batter from a left-handed batter. I felt that the wide line on both sides is given in favor of the bowler when a switch hit is played, not when you play a reverse sweep,” Chopra said.

The distinction between switch hits and reverse sweeps had created confusion around the decision. The timing of when a batter changes position relative to the ball’s release also plays a crucial role in determining whether a delivery qualifies as a wide.

“The second complication was that, at the time of delivery, right when the bowler released the ball, did the batter change his stance or not? My initial understanding was that if the stance is not changed before the ball is bowled, then wide shall remain a wide. But my understanding was wrong. I went through the rules and listened to the umpires, and according to the new ICC rules, it does not discriminate between a switch hit and a reverse sweep,” Chopra said.

“So, point one, they view both shots in the same way. Secondly, whether the ball is in the hand or released from the hand, it does not matter when you change your position. It will be counted as the batter having changed his position. So, the benefit of the doubt will go to the bowler. You are both a left-hander and a right-hander in the eyes of the law,” he added.