One Doesn’t Die If It Doesn’t Go the Team’s Way: Former India Spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan’s Request to All Commentators

Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has requested all the commentators to avoid using the word 'death overs' commonly used to refer the final 10 overs of an ODI match.

New Delhi: Former India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan took to Twitter on Wednesday and requested all the commentators to avoid saying death overs as it is not the most appropriate word to use, given the times we are living in. The 56-year-old reckons that instead of death overs, we should start saying slog overs or end overs, adding that the last ten overs are definitely important overs but one doesn’t die if it doesn’t go the team’s way.

“Request to all commentators, please don’t say “ DEATH OVERS”. Either call it slog overs or end overs. We are going through a tough time. Death is not a nice word. The last ten overs are definitely important overs but one doesn’t die if it doesn’t go the team’s way,” tweeted the former India spinner.

Request to all commentators, please don’t say “ DEATH OVERS”. Either call it slog overs or end overs. We are going through a tough time. Death is not a nice word. The last ten overs are definitely important overs but one doesn’t die if it doesn’t go the team’s way.#SAvIND

— Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (@LaxmanSivarama1) January 19, 2022

Commentators all across the globe are pretty used to saying ‘death overs’ while referring to the last ten overs of an ODI match and replacing it with ‘slog overs’ or ‘end overs’ makes far more sense than comparing anything to death.

Sivaramakrishnan might have heard the commentators using ‘death overs’ to refer to the final 10 overs of the match during the first ODI between India and South Africa that was played at Boland Park, Paarl. The South Africans cashed in in the slog overs and added close to 100 runs to reach a formidable total after finding themselves in a spot of bother in the first 20 overs of the match.

India failed to reach the target of 297 set by South Africa and lost the first ODI by 31 runs of the three-match series.