MCC Confirms Muneeba Ali's Run Out against India in Women's World Cup 2025

The ICC Women's World Cup 2025 witnessed one of its most debated incidents during the sixth match between India and Pakistan at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium. Pakistan opener Muneeba Ali was controversially given run out in the fourth over of the Pakistan chase of the target score of 248 runs set by India, which sparked mixed reactions on the field and online. The Marylebone Cricket Club(MCC), the official custodian of cricket laws, has now clarified that the dismissal was fair and did fall under cricket rules, ending the controversy once and for all.

MCC Explains the Rules behind the Controversy

The incident unfolded on the final ball of the fourth over when Muneeba faced a delivery from Kranti Gaud on the other hand. She survived an LBW appeal, but while stepping out of her crease, Deepti Sharma's throw from the slip cordon hit the stumps. Although Muneeba had grounded the bat behind the crease, it was airborne when the ball struck, leading to a third-umpire review by Kerrin Klaaste of South Africa. The review ultimately declared her out, even though Pakistan captain Fatima Sana argued that Muneeba had no intention to run and had already grounded her bat. "There are a number of pieces of Law to consider here. The first, and simplest, is that just because there was a vociferous appeal for LBW, the ball had clearly not become Dead. The appeal had been answered Not Out, the ball was not finally settled in the hands of the wicket-keeper, and Deepti’s act alone is a demonstration that not all the players considered it Dead. The ball remains in play,” the MCC wrote on its website. She had taken guard from beyond the popping crease, and at no time did her feet move back into her ground,” the statement said, explaining the mode of dismissal.

The MCC referenced law 30.1.2, sometimes it's called the "bouncing bat law," which was introduced in 2010 to protect batters who lose contact with the ground while running or diving toward the crease. The law states that a batter is not considered out if they ground their bat or body beyond the popping crease while in motion and subsequently lose contact with the ground as the wicket is broken.