MCC explains controversial Pakistan run-out call

Cricket's lawmakers have explained why the umpires eventually made the correct decision in deeming Muneeba Ali to have been run out in Pakistan's defeat by India at the Women's World Cup on Sunday.

Pakistan's captain Fatima Sana protested after opener Muneeba was given out by the TV umpire, having lifted her bat from the crease as a throw hit the stumps.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) says although some have cited law 30.1.2 and said Muneeba should have been not out because she had grounded her bat moments earlier, that law is only relevant when a batter is "running or diving".

"This law, which was introduced in 2010 and is sometimes referred to as the 'bouncing bat law', is to protect a batter who inadvertently loses contact with the ground as they move towards the stumps, either with their bat bouncing up or just with both their feet being airborne through the natural process of running," the MCC added.

"It does not protect a batter who is turning for another run, overbalancing, or who - as in Muneeba's case - simply lifts their bat into the air.

"The third umpire was entirely correct to give this out."

The controversial incident happened in the fourth over of Pakistan's pursuit of 248 in Colombo.

Muneeba was hit on the pad by a ball from Kranti Goud and, as most of the India players appealed for lbw, the left-hander turned and tapped her bat into the crease.

The TV umpire's not out decision then appeared on the big screen.

However, further replays showed Muneeba had lifted her bat in the air at the moment Deepti Sharma's throw hit the stumps, and with Muneeba's feet also out of her ground, the new decision of out was shown on the screen.

Pakistan captain Sana was then seen remonstrating with the fourth umpire by the dugout, at one stage appearing to tell Muneeba to remain inside the boundary.

Cricket's laws say a batter will be run out if "while the ball is in play, he/she is out of his/her ground and his/her wicket is fairly broken by the action of a fielder".

Law 30.1.1 states "a batter shall be considered to be out of his/her ground unless some part of his/her person or bat is grounded behind the popping crease at that end".

The confusion comes around law 30.1.2, which was introduced in 2010, and states a batter is not out if, "in running or diving towards his/her ground and beyond, and having grounded some part of his/her person or bat beyond the popping crease, there is subsequent loss of contact between the ground and any part of his/her person or bat, or between the bat and person."

This has largely been used to cover instances where a batter dives and makes their ground, only for the bat to bounce into the air as the stumps are broken.

The MCC says that law was not relevant in this case.