The opening match for Team India at the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday night witnessed a moment of controversy with India feeling they were denied a run out of New Zealand batter Amelia Kerr.
The incident occurred in the 14th over of the match when India were just pulling things back after a blistering start by the New Zealand openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer.
In the last ball of the over, Amelia Kerr played Deepti Sharma’s delivery to long off, to Harmanpreet Kaur and completed a routine single.
Kaur held the ball as the umpire seemingly called the end of the over but Kerr and her batting partner Sophie Devine tried to sneak in a second run.
Watching the batter sprint, the Indian skipper released the ball to the keeper’s end and Richa Ghosh completed the runout with Kerr visibly short.
In fact, Kerr accepted her fate and began walking back to the dugout.
But the fourth umpire stepped in to inform that the ball was declared dead as the ‘over’ was called, leading to the runout being nullified.
The Indians were visibly annoyed and skipper Kaur along with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana engaging in extended conversations with the on-field umpires and the fourth umpire.
Watch the moment here:
What does the ICC rulebook say?
The ICC rulebook clearly defines when a ball shall be considered dead.
Rule 20.1.2 states that a ball shall be considered dead when it is clear to the umpire at the bowler’s end that the fielding side and both batters at the wicket have ceased to regard it as in play.
Going by the rule, since Kerr and Devine tried to take another run, the ball was still in play, and therefore, the runout should have stood. But the umpires clearly ruled otherwise.
For the Indian fans, there was a silver lining at the end of the episode as just a couple of deliveries later, Amelia Kerr was dismissed.