Irfan Khan attempted an acrobatic boundary save in the first ODI of the series between Pakistan and Australia at the MCG today (November 4), knocking the ball inside the boundary rope in mid-air. However, the attempt was ruled as futile by the umpire who awarded a six. Here's why.
Irfan was fielding several metres inside the deep backward square leg boundary when the incident happened. Josh Inglis was nearing a half century, and brought out a big pull shot to a short ball from Shaheen Shah Afridi. The ball looked destined to sail over the rope as Irfan rapidly back-pedalled towards the boundary.
As the ball approached, Irfan leapt high in the air and knocked the ball back inside the rope while he was still mid-jump and completely off the ground. Having landed over the rope from his jump, Irfan scrambled to pick the ball up and throw it back to the keeper, limiting the runs conceded from the ball. At the time, Australia were 133-3 and only needed another 71 runs to win with 30 overs left in the innings, after Pakistan were bowled out for 203 batting first.
Irfan's attempt to limit valuable runs, however, became null when the umpire raised both of his arms to signal a six. Seeing the decision, Irfan - who was making his ODI debut for Pakistan in the match - was visibly frustrated, gesturing his confusion at the decision with his arms.
Some brilliance on the rope from Mohammad Irfan Khan! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/FAWI9ZUGD2
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 4, 2024
There was some confusion as to why the six had been given on commentary. When Irfan left the ground to make his attempt, his foot had been on the sponge of the boundary rope, which Kerry O'Keefe asserted he had done to "get a better lift off" and that he had executed the save "perfectly".
David Warner, who was also commentating on the game said: "It's like running off the side board and trying to knock one back in... You've got to start inside the field. But then we go back to Michael Neser's catch where he was outside the field and juggling it after he touched the outside of the field. Which rules are different? International, BBL?"
Warner was referring to an effort from Michael Neser in the 2022/23 BBL in which Neser jumped from outside the boundary rope to knock the ball back into the field of play and take a catch to dismiss Jordan Silk.
Last contact with the ground before first contact with the ball
However, MCC Law 19.4 states: "The ball is regarded as being grounded beyond the boundary if a fielder, grounded beyond the boundary touches the ball and, a fielder, after catching the ball within the boundary, becomes grounded beyond the boundary while in contact with the ball before completing the catch."
Law 19.5 goes on to state: "A fielder is grounded beyond the boundary if some part of his/her person is in contact with any of the following: the boundary or any part of an object used to mark the boundary."
Irfan did not touch the ball while he was making contact with the boundary rope, or any part of the turf outside the boundary. He had jumped into the air directly off the boundary rope when he knocked the ball back in. However, at the point of jumping, Irfan would be considered to be 'grounded beyond the boundary'.
Law 19.5.2 clarifies: "A fielder who is not in contact with the ground is considered to be grounded beyond the boundary if his/her final contact with the ground, before his/her first contact with the ball after it has been delivered by the bowler, was not entirely within the boundary."
Thus, because Irfan's last contact with the ground before touching the ball was directly after he was 'grounded beyond the boundary', the ball was also regarded as 'grounded beyond the boundary when he made contact with it. Had Irfan leapt from inside the rope before touching the ball, neither he nor the ball would be regarded as 'grounded beyond the boundary' when he touched it.
Despite Irfan completing a catch inside the boundary to dismiss Inglis from the very next ball, Pakistan went on to lose the game by two wickets.
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