ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Was Muneeba Ali given correctly run out despite grounding her bat? Explained

Muneeba Ali managed to score two runs before getting dismissed against India Women.

Pakistan Women’s opening batter Muneeba Ali was removed in an unusual manner during ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup match against India Women in Colombo on Sunday, 5th October. The left-handed batter was declared out despite appearing to ground her bat before the ball reached the stumps.

The event occurred during the final delivery of the fourth over. An approaching delivery from Kranti Goud impacted Muneeba Ali on her pads, and the Indians, as expected, filed an appeal. The umpire ruled it not out, and the batter, who was outside her crease, returned to ground her bat inside it.

However, Deepti Sharma’s throw at the stumps struck timber as Muneeba Ali raised her willow once more after grounding her bat. Once more, the Indian fielders made loud pleas, and the on-field authorities made the decision to escalate the situation to TV umpire.

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Replays indicated that Muneeba grounded her bat before lifting it a second time, coinciding with the ball hitting the stumps. The third umpire, Keerin Klaaste, issued it after a lengthy delay, much to the pleasure of the Indians, but it left Pakistani players and many others across the world perplexed as to what had occurred.

Pakistan Women’s captain Fatima Sana was spotted having a protracted altercation with fourth umpire Kim Cotton near the boundary line while Muneeba waited to leave the field. Eventually, she did.

This is what the rulebook says

According to law 30.1.1 of the rule book, a batter is regarded out of her ground unless any portion of her body or bat is grounded behind the popping crease at that end. According to 30.1.2, a batter is not considered to be out of her ground if, while running or diving towards her ground and beyond, and after grounding some part of her person or bat beyond the popping crease, there is subsequent loss of contact between the ground and any part of her person or bat, or between the bat and person.

Related to this, Muneeba was given out as an extension of 30.1.2. She did ground her bat before lifting it again, which is when the ball hit the stumps.

“Law of cricket 30.1.2. Batter shall not be considered to be out of her ground in running or diving towards her ground and beyond, and having grounded some part of her bat, the bat beyond the popping increase. There is subsequent loss of contact between the ground and any part of her person or bat, or between the that and the person. So, she wasn’t running, she wasn’t diving. And so, because of that fact there, there was no running or diving, that is the reason.. why she’s been given out,” Jones said on commentary.

While 30.1.2 does not directly state Muneeba was out, the fact that she had to be diving or dashing past the crease implied she was out.

Another point of contention in the dismissal was that the TV umpire appeared to be content with not declaring it out because the bat was grounded, but replays were requested again as she ran through the entire film until the bat was in the air and the stumps lighted up.

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