During the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup match between India and Pakistan, held on October 5, 2025, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Pakistani opener Muneeba Ali was controversially dismissed for a run in the fourth over of her chase.
Pakistan was chasing a target of 248 after India posted 247/9 in 50 overs, thanks to contributions from Harleen Deol (46) and Richa Ghosh (35*).
The incident unfolded as follows: Indian bowler Kranti Goud bowled a long ball that hit Muneeba on the pad, prompting an LBW appeal from India. On-field umpire Jacqueline Williams declared her not out, considering the ball had left the leg stump.
At that point, Muneeba had slightly stepped out of her crease (a common tactic to counter in-swing) and, upon hearing the appeal, quickly grounded her bat behind the crease.
However, before fielder Deepti Sharma’s shot from the slip cordon reached the stumps and dislodged the trunks, Muneeba briefly lifted her bat off the ground without placing any part of her body or equipment behind the crease. This caused immediate confusion.
The third umpire, Kerrin Klaaste, initially signaled “not out” on the big screen, forcing the Indian players to return to their positions. However, after reviewing other angles, the decision was reversed to “out” (run-out).
The key factor was MCC Law 30.1 (Batsman’s Rolling), which states that a batsman is out if no part of his body or bat touches the ground behind the popping crease when the wicket breaks. Law 30.1.2 provides an exception only if the batsman is “running towards or diving towards his ground and losing contact due to momentum,” a condition Muneeba did not meet, as he was motionless and simply adjusting his stance.
Replays later confirmed that if India had reviewed the LBW, Muneeba would also have been out (the umpire’s decision was on impact, but the impact was on the middle stump).
The dismissal left Pakistan at 6/1 after 4 overs, with Muneeba out for a duck (2 runs in 12 balls, although some reports indicate it as 2).
The runout proved crucial in firmly tipping the balance in India’s favor in this highly contested clash. Pakistan, already under pressure in a must-win group stage match to stay alive in the semifinals, lost their aggressive opener early, disrupting their batting rhythm.
Muneeba’s dismissal triggered a collapse, with Pakistan managing just 159 runs in 42.3 overs, 88 runs short of the target.
India’s bowlers exploited the situation ruthlessly: Kranti Goud (3/20) and Deepti Sharma (3/45) shone, while Arundhati Reddy and Sneh Rana each took two wickets.
Sidra Amin’s solid 81 offered Pakistan brief resistance, but they were unable to recover from the initial blow. For India, the victory boosted their net run rate and cemented their position at the top of Group A with two wins from two matches. Pakistan, with a 0-2 record, faces mounting pressure ahead of its next match against Sri Lanka.
The incident heightened the tension of the match, turning a routine sending-off into a flashpoint that fueled stories of “umpiring drama” in Indo-Pakistani matches.
Aftermath and Reactions
The sending-off sparked immediate chaos on the field and a widespread crisis in Pakistan. Captain Fatima Sana was seen arguing heatedly with fourth umpire Kim Cotton near the boundary, gesticulating animatedly about the fluctuating signals on the giant screen and the perceived inconsistency. A visibly frustrated Muneeba hesitated to leave the crease, standing firm for several minutes as her teammates urged her to stay while the umpires clarified.
Play was halted for over five minutes—an unusually long time for a race review—before Sana signaled Muneeba to leave, allowing the next batter, Sidra Amin, to take the strike. Off the field, reactions erupted on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), where the fans were deeply divided.
Pakistani fans criticized it for being “unfair” and for “umpiring bias,” with posts lamenting Muneeba’s “bad luck” and questioning whether the bat lift was intentional or incidental. One viral thread highlighted: “I survived an LBW scare, but was sent off right after. Was that dismissal really justified?”
The Indian fans, for their part, celebrated the “drama” and the “perfect execution,” with comments such as: “The bat is in the air as the ball hits the stumps, given on review! Controversy, jubilation, and disappointment all in one!” Neutral observers praised the technology’s functionality but criticized the initial confusion on screen, calling it “avoidable.”
Umpire Scrutiny: The incident reignited the debate over transparency in decision-making in women’s cricket, with demands for clearer protocols on screen during reviews.
Team Morale: Pakistan’s visible frustration may have contributed to the implosion of their batting, as noted by analysts, who linked the early wicket to a “psychological blow.”
Media Frenzy: Outlets such as ESPNcricinfo and Hindustan Times dissected the laws, while the ICC’s official Instagram video (featuring commentator Mel Jones) garnered over 142,000 likes, explaining the decision to educate fans.
No formal sanctions (e.g., fines for dissent) were reported, and the match concluded without further interruptions.
Ultimately, the dismissal was upheld as correct under ICC playing conditions, underscoring cricket’s emphasis on narrow margins and technological precision.
Experts, including former players, stated that while the sequence was “unusual,” the rules were faithfully applied: Muneeba’s brief lift of the bat disqualified her from the “momentum” exception, and the LBW overlap added irony without altering the result.
The episode serves as a reminder of the intensity of the Indo-Pakistani rivalry, where even a single decision can overshadow a lopsided result (India’s resounding 88-run victory). For Pakistan, it highlights the need for composure under pressure; for umpires, better communication tools.
On the positive side, it brought global attention to women’s cricket, boosting World Cup viewership. As Jones noted in the ICC analysis: “The law is clear: score or be out.” Looking ahead, stricter adherence to protocols is expected to prevent similar disruptions, ensuring the focus is on skill over controversy.
