WPL run out calls cause controversy

A thrilling last-ball finish in the second match of the 2025 WPL ended in controversy after third umpire run-out decisions dominated the final three overs.

At the beginning of the 18th over of Delhi Capitals' chase, Scotland international and WPL debutant Sarah Bryce had dragged the side back into contention against Mumbai Indians. She was dismissed off the third ball of the over by Hayley Matthews, having scored a 10-ball 21. Off the next delivery, Shikha Pandey - the new batter in the middle - attempted to run after she missed the ball from Matthews which deflected off wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia.

She was sent back by Niki Prasad, sliding her bat back into the crease as a direct hit broke the stumps. Both batters then took a run off the rebound. Despite the replays showing that Prasad did not seem to have any of her bat grounded behind the stumps, she was given not out by the third umpire, much to MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur's confusion.

After four balls passed without incident and with six runs added to the total, Delhi needed 18 from the final 10 balls of the match when Pandey was given out. Having attempted to run after hitting a full toss straight to cover, she was unable to get back in time and was clearly out of her crease when Bhatia broke the stumps.

Just two balls later there was yet another appeal for a run out when a massive mix-up between Prasad and new batter Radha Yadav ended in them both turning around mid pitch. The throw, however, went to the wicketkeeper's end rather than the non-striker's, where Prasad would have been out by a mile had the ball struck. Instead, Bhatia broke the wicket when the ball reached her, requiring the third-umpire to take a look at whether Yadav had made her ground or not. Despite confusion over whether Yadav's bat was in the air at the point the wicket was broken, she was given not out.

Yadav hit a six off the next ball to leave Delhi needing 10 off the last over. That equation was reduced to two needed off the last ball after Prasad was dismissed from the penultimate delivery of the match.

With new batter Arundhati Reddy on strike having not faced a ball, she chipped the ball in the air over Kaur's head on the offside and set off for a run. As they came back for the second, Kaur fired the throw into Bhatia behind the stumps, who quickly took the bails off. The replays showed Reddy has made her ground by inches.

There was controversy, however, over whether the third umpire was judging the run outs at the point where the zing bails lit up, or when the bails were out of their grooves. The WPL playing conditions read: "Where LED wickets are used, the moment at which the wicket has been put down 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."

The match was the second in this year's WPL, coming a day after RCB chased down 202 with nine balls to spare to beat Gujarat Giants in the tournament opener. UP Warriorz will get their tournament underway tomorrow against Gujarat.

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