Harmanpreet Kaur (c) of Mumbai Indians talk with umpire during match 2 of the Women’s Premier League 2025 (WPL) between The Mumbai Indians and The Delhi Capitals held at the BCA stadium , Vadodara, India on the 15th February 2025. (Sportzpics)
The television umpire for the second Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 match had to make some really tight calls on run out appeals from Mumbai Indians, and all three of those went in favour of Delhi Capitals on a dramatic night in Vadodara.
Opting to bowl, DC bundled out MI for 164 in 19.1 overs. In the run-chase, Arundhati Reddy (2 not out) took the two required runs off the final ball to seal the win. But in the moments leading up to that finish, there were controversial moments involving TV Umpire Gayathri Venugopalan, who was called into action for three run out calls.
First, it was Shikha Pandey in the 18th over. Second, it was Radha Yadav in the 19th over. And finally, it was Arundhati Reddy in the last over off the last ball. On all three occasions, multiple replays were asked for by the umpire, who carefully studied the frames, but seemed to interpret that the lighting of the stumps didn’t matter for considering when the stumps were broken.
In a match that was all about frames… the dramatic winning frames. 🖼️
What drama. pic.twitter.com/XoJCEUr72G
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) February 15, 2025
However, according to rule 4.2 in the official Playing Conditions: “Where LED Wickets are used (as provided for in paragraph 3.8.1.5) the moment at which the wicket has been put down (as per clause 29.1) 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 clause 29.1 referred to here further states: “The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, one or more stumps is removed from the ground.”
Former New Zealand and RCB coach Mike Hesson posted on X: “Not sure why the umpire tonight has decided that the zinger bails are not applicable? Once bails lights up connection is lost therefore wicket is broken! That is in the playing conditions! Have seen more confusion in last 10 mins than ever before.”
