Watch: Shabnim Ismail missed out on a wicket in her first over of the 2024 Women’s Premier League Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bangalore after the ball crashed onto Sophie Devine’s stumps but the bails stayed intact.

Mumbai Indians did not have the greatest start in the game as Shabnim Ismail conceded two fours and a single off her first three balls. Things took a worse turn for her when she was robbed of a wicket on the fourth delivery after the bails did not budge even though the stumps lit up. Worse, it went for another boundary.

Ismail sent down a length ball, which Devine looked to play with an angled bat. She got an inside edge with the ball hitting the leg stump. The zing bails lit up but did not fall, and RCB got a respite as the ball raced away for four. Devine could not make the most of her second life as she was dismissed soon after for a seven-ball 10.

Law 29 in the MCC playing rules confirms that a wicket shall only be broken when “at least one bail is removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground.”

In the 2022 IPL, a Yuzvendra Chahal delivery had clipped David Warner’s stump but he did not get the wicket as the bail remained intact on top. Later, Chahal advocated for a change in the rules. “At a crucial time, and it is a big event or match or final, then something like this happens because if the ball hits the wicket then it should be out.

“If it is given not out just because the bails have not fallen off then it could cost you a match. It definitely will affect the [bowling] team.”

Watch the incident here:

Luck favouring the braves. Sophie devine that was too close.#RCBvMI #TATAIPL2024 pic.twitter.com/AmJzJuexqU

— Dr. 1trophy (@1trophy_rcb) March 15, 2024

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