A moment of utter confusion marked the early stages of Pakistan’s innings against India in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 on Sunday, when opener Muneeba Ali was dismissed in controversial fashion off the final delivery of the fourth over. The incident began when Kranti Gaud bowled one that trapped Muneeba in front of middle and leg. India went up in a loud appeal for LBW, but wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh didn’t appear convinced, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur chose not to review.As the players discussed the appeal, Deepti Sharma produced a sharp direct hit at the striker’s end, catching Muneeba unaware outside her crease.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana speaks to the umpire about the dismissal of Muneeba Ali (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Initially, the big screen showed “NOT OUT” after the third umpire’s first review, as Muneeba seemed to have dragged her bat back inside the line. But in a dramatic twist, the officials decided to take another look, this time checking if the bat was grounded when the ball hit the stumps. Watch the chaotic moment hereReplays revealed that her bat was in the air at that exact moment, leading to a reversal of the decision. The run-out stood, leaving Muneeba dismissed for 2 off 12 balls. The sequence caused visible confusion. Muneeba stood near the boundary line for a while, seemingly unconvinced by the call. Skipper Fatima Sana was also seen speaking to a match official to clarify the decision, while the match briefly halted amid tense discussions. Adding to the delay, Pakistan’s next batter, Sidra Amin, waited near the ropes before being prompted by the officials to make her way to the crease. The moment summed up a chaotic passage of play that saw emotions run high on both sides.According to Law 30 of the playing conditions, a batter is deemed out of her ground unless some part of her person or bat is grounded behind the popping crease. However, if a batter has already made her ground while running or diving and then momentarily loses contact, she is still considered safe. In Muneeba’s case, since she was stationary and not running or diving, her lifted bat meant she was technically out of her ground, and therefore rightly given out under the laws. It was an unfortunate end for Muneeba, who appeared to have made her ground before her bat lifted at the last instant. At the six-over mark, Pakistan were 18 for 1, needing 230 more runs to win. Sadaf Shamas (5*) and Sidra Amin (8*) were at the crease, with Renuka Singh Thakur keeping things tight in her opening spell.
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Do you think the umpire made the right call in Muneeba Ali’s dismissal?
The rare double-check decision and its aftermath left the crowd and players visibly confused momentarily – a reminder of how the finest of margins can influence games.
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