Tendulkar Bats For Use of Second Super Over to Decide WC Winners

Tendulkar said that he would have sent MS Dhoni at number five in the semifinal against New Zealand.

(Photo:AP)

Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday, 16 July, endorsed a second super over to decide the winner instead of considering the boundary count if such an extraordinary situation arises like it did in the World Cup final.

In a gut-wrenching final at Lord's on Sunday, England were adjudged the World Cup winners on the basis of their superior boundary count. 22 fours and two sixes to New Zealand's 16, after both the regulation match and the ensuing Super Over ended in a tie.

“I feel there should be another super over to decide the winner, instead of considering the number of boundaries scored by both teams. Not just in a World Cup final. Every game is important. Like in football, when teams go into extra time, nothing else matters.”

Sachin Tendulkar

Current and former cricketers including Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh, have questioned ICC's "ridiculous" rule on boundary count that decided the World Cup title.

After table toppers India were knocked out of the World Cup on losing the semi-final to New Zealand, skipper Virat Kohli had suggested IPL-like playoffs instead of knock-outs in the World Cup going forward.

Asked if the World Cup format needs to be changed in the knock-out stages, Tendulkar said: "I think the two teams that finish at the top should definitely have something going for them for having played consistently through the tournament."

During India's semifinal, former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was sent at number seven with Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik being promoted in the batting order.

Asked what batting order he would have gone with for the chase, Tendulkar said: “Without a doubt, I would’ve sent MS Dhoni at his usual position, No 5.”

"With the kind of situation that India was in and the experience that he has, the need of the hour was for him to build the innings. Hardik could've batted at 6 and Karthik would've followed at 7."