Explainer: Why was Dinesh Karthik adjudged ‘run-out’ despite Mohammad Rizwan collecting the ball in front of the wickets

In India’s thrilling four-wicket win over Pakistan in a Super-12 match of the T20 World Cup at the MCG on Sunday, with two runs needed off as many balls for victory, wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik was dismissed by left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, adding more drama to the high-pressure clash.

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As Karthik was trying to make room for a sweep, Nawaz went flat in his trajectory and angled the ball down leg. Karthik missed the ball on sweep and it ricocheted off the pad behind the wicket, which was spotted by an alert Mohammad Rizwan.

Pakistan wicketkeeper Rizwan was alert to the fact that Karthik had wandered out of his crease and collected the ball before completing a stunning piece of stumping work.

With Rizwan collecting the ball in front of wickets, many felt it should have been called a no-ball. But it wasn`t called a no-ball as the ball had hit Karthik’s pads before reaching Rizwan standing behind the stumps.

As per MCC’s Law 27.3.1, Rizwan’s collection of the ball was legitimate. The law says, “The wicket-keeper shall remain wholly behind the wicket at the striker’s end from the moment the ball comes into play until a ball delivered by the bowler: touches the bat or person of the striker or passes the wicket at the striker`s end or the striker attempts a run.”

The next law, 27.3.2, says, “In the event of the wicket-keeper contravening this Law, the striker`s end umpire shall call and signal a `no ball` as soon as applicable after the delivery of the ball.”

With Rizwan doing everything as per the law, his stumping of Karthik was deemed valid.

Coming to Sunday’s match, talismanic batter Virat Kohli re-iterated why he is considered one of the best chasers in white-ball cricket, slamming an unbeaten 82 off just 52 balls to power India to an incredible four-wicket victory over arch-rivals in front of 90,293 fans.

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After the fast-bowling duo of Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh picked three wickets each to restrict Pakistan to 159/8 in their 20 overs, Kohli and Hardik Pandya (40) shared a match-winning stand of 113 off 77 deliveries, lifting India from 31/4 to 160/6 on the last ball of the match to get their campaign off to a winning start.