Controversy looms over WPL 2025 match between MI and DC: Was it a run-out or not according to the rules?

The television umpire at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara had their work cut out for them during the second game of the 2025 season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. It was a challenging day with three tight run-out calls, leading to major controversy. Fans and veteran cricketers alike were left puzzled by the decisions as DC managed to come out on top in their thrilling two-wicket victory.

Chasing 165 in their season opener, Delhi wrapped up the game in the final ball after Arundhati Reddy survived a run-out scare. But in the lead-up to the thrilling end of the clash, TV Umpire Gayathri Venugopalan was called upon thrice to check three close run-out calls, including one on the last ball. Although, it was the previous two appeals which sparked the controversy.

In the first instance, which happened on the fourth ball of the 18th over, just the delivery after Delhi lost Sarah Bryce, Shikha Pandey attempted to take a single against a delivery from Hayley Matthews, which deflected off wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia. However, she sent back her partner Niki Prasad and got her bat back into the crease amid a direct throw breaking the stumps.

Replays showed that the LED light went after the ball struck the stumps, with Pandey's bat still outside the crease, yet she was deemed not out. The TV umpire reckoned by the time both bails came off, the batter's bat was inside the creased. This led to a big confusion with MI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur walking up to the on-field umpires.

The incident repeated on the penultimate ball of the 19th over when the wicketkeeper was quick to dislodge the bails as Mumbai appealed for a run-out dismissal of Radha Yadav. While it appeared that the bails were off, with the LED lights on when Yadav's bat was in the air, TV umpire said that the batter had some part of the bat inside the crease when the second bail came off.

What does the rule say: out or not?

Both incidents sparked a controversy with fans and experts questioning where the third umpire was making her decisions on the run outs based on when the bails came off or when the zing bails lit up.

According to rule 4.2 in the official WPL Playing Conditions: “Where LED Wickets are used (as provided for in paragraph 3.8.1.5) the moment at which the wicket has been put down (as per clause 29.1) shall be deemed to be the first frame in which the LED lights are illuminated and subsequent frames show the bail permanently removed from the top of the stumps.”

Clause 29.1, referred to in this rule, further says: “The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, one or more stumps is removed from the ground.”

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