The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 campaign is off to a flier, with the Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians encounter on Saturday turning out to be an absolute thriller. DC edged MI by the narrowest of margins, with a last-ball run-out decision that went in the Delhi franchise’s favour sealing the fate of the game. Delhi got off to a fiery start, thanks to Shafali Varma before composed knocks by Niki Prasad and Sarah Bryce helped the team secure a two-wicket win against MI. However, the match didn’t end without controversy, with a section of fans on social media suggesting that the run-out appeal a the end should’ve gone in Mumbai’s favour.
Chasing 165, DC was left 109/5 in 14.5 overs despite a fine 60-run opening stand. However, Niki Prasad and Sarah took down the equation to 10 runs off the last over despite wickets falling at the other end. With two runs needed on the final ball, the pair of Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav completed a risky double, the result of which made headlines.
Arundhati hit the ball over the off-side, over the heads of the fielders inside the circle. It was MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur who ran after the ball and threw it towards the keeper’s end. As Arundhati dived to complete the double, the Zing bails seemed to have illuminated before her bat had fully crossed the crease.
— Lolzzz (@CricketerMasked) February 15, 2025
In older times, a batter was given out when the bails lost contact with the stumps but in the ongoing WPL, the lighted-up Zing bails signify that there’s no contact between them and the stumps. Hence, this can be used as a method to consider if a batter is out or not.
The rule states: “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.”
After the match, Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal thanked the third umpire for keeping calm while making the tough decision at the end.
Irrespective of the result in the ongoing WPL i must applaud the 3rd umpire who is absolutely world class – to make that kind of decision and to take the replay so many frames back under so much pressure is world class @wplt20 @DelhiCapitals
— Parth Jindal (@ParthJindal11) February 15, 2025
But, Arundhati was given not-out. In the process, Delhi secured a win by 2 wickets.
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