Asia Cup Rising Stars: Wadhera-Dhir Relay Catch Controversy!

Asia Cup Rising Stars: Wadhera-Dhir Relay Catch Controversy!

Wadhera-Dhir Relay Catch Controversy: In one controversial moment during the Asia Cup Rising Stars match on November 16, India A fielders Nehal Wadhera and Naman Dhir were involved in a relay catch that the third umpire decided was not out.

What Wadhera-Dhir Relay Catch Happened!

During the 10th over of the Match, Pakistan Shaeens opener Maaz Sadaqat tried to heave Suyash Sharma over cow corner. Wadhera sprinted in from deep midwicket and took the catch cleanly. Carried by the momentum towards the boundary, he smartly lobbed the ball to Dhir, running in from long-on. Naman Dhir completed the catch, seemingly making it a legitimate relay dismissal. 

However, the third umpire gave the not-out verdict, which confused players and viewers alike. The call has since been highly debated as many feel it occurred due to a misinterpretation of cricket’s revised boundary-catching rule.

Understanding the New ICC Boundary Rule

Since June, a revised ICC rule has applied to catches involving jumps near or beyond the boundary.

The Key Rule:
A catch is also considered valid if a fielder has left the field of play, contacted the ball while in the air over the rope, and then landed back onto the field, but only if the final landing occurred inside before the ball is next touched.

Why Wadhera-Dhir Catch Should Have Been Given Out. According to footage and expert interpretation, Wadhera caught the ball completely inside the field of play. Although his foot was hovering above the boundary cushion, it never touched the ground outside the rope while he had the ball in hand.

He released the ball to Dhir before stepping out of play, which is within the keeping of the law. His subsequent landing outside the boundary does not invalidate the catch since he was no longer in contact with the ball. Dhir’s catch inside the field further confirms its legality.

The Wrong Decision and Its Consequences
First, the relay catch of Wadhera-Dhir was wrongly given not out, and to add insult to injury, the officials gave it as a dot ball instead of a six.
Maaz Sadaqat from Pakistan meanwhile was on 56 and made full use of this reprieve to post an unbeaten 79 to guide Pakistan A to victory in 13.2 overs while chasing 137.

A Case of Misinterpreted Laws The verdict is clear: The Wadhera-Dhir relay catch in the Asia Cup Rising Stars encounter conformed to all requirements for a valid dismissal according to the revised ICC boundary rules. Expert umpires confirmed the catch should have been awarded out, making this one of the most notable officiating errors in the tournament so far.