The Jharkhand Cricket Association (JCA) has lodged a formal complaint with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It alleged that an official scorer's error cost its team a chance to tie the Women's U19 T20 Trophy Elite Pre Quarter-Final against Uttarakhand at the Lady Amritbai Daga College Ground in Nagpur.

Uttarakhand had posted 134/6 after batting first on Tuesday, October 20. Chasing 135 to secure a place in the next round, the Priyanka Luthra-led team were bowled out for 133 on the final ball of their innings. Uttarakhand secured a narrow one-run victory, ending Jharkhand's campaign in the tournament.

JCA Alleges Scoring Error Cost a Tie

According to The Indian Express, on the fourth ball of the final over, Jharkhand batter Lakshmi Kumari was run out while attempting a second run. JCA alleged that the official scorer recorded the dismissal but failed to add the single the batters had already completed.

The association said the ground scoreboard operator recorded the run, and Jharkhand's batters continued playing based on that total. They believed they needed two runs to win and one to tie. However, the official score remained unchanged, leaving the team one run short.

A Jharkhand official told The Indian Express that the players challenged the scorer after the final delivery, but he refused to change the entry. The official explained that umpires must follow the main scorer's record rather than the separate stadium scoreboard.

"The scoreboard at the far end had the updated score after each ball but the main scorer forgot to add one run which cost us a tie. We requested the scorer to make the correction but he didn't. As per the rule, umpires have to go by the scorer and not at the person doing scoring at the scoreboard," the official said.

Priyanka Luthra's 64 Goes in Vain as Uttarakhand Win Thriller

Uttarakhand captain Kareena anchored the first innings with 59 off 59 balls, hitting nine boundaries. Nirjala Mahra added 22, while Kanika Negi provided a late boost with an unbeaten 21 off 12 deliveries. Jharkhand captain Priyanka Luthra took 1/16 in four overs as Uttarakhand finished on 134/6.

Luthra then led the chase with 64 runs off 42 balls, including nine fours and a six. However, Uttarakhand's bowlers kept taking wickets, with Danu claiming 3/31 and Tanvi Tomar returning 2/14. Danu dismissed Luthra in the 15th over with Jharkhand at 99/6, shifting the momentum.

The Priyanka Luthra-led team needed five runs from the final over with three wickets in hand. Three run-outs ended their chase, with substitute fielder Vedika involved in two dismissals and Kareena completing the final run-out. The team finished all out for 133.

BCCI Faces Questions Over Scoring Procedures After Controversy

The BCCI must now decide how to respond to JCA’s complaint. The association has challenged the official score, but changing the result after a completed knockout match could prove difficult.

Replaying the match is unlikely to be a practical option after the team's exit. The BCCI could instead review how officials record and verify scores during domestic matches.

The dispute also highlights the risk of relying on two different score records. The official scorer and the stadium scoreboard showed different totals, leaving Jharkhand’s players to judge the final target using the scoreboard.