Drama, disbelief, and a dash of misfortune — the India vs Pakistan clash in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 had it all. But what stole the spotlight wasn’t a fiery spell or a breathtaking boundary — it was Muneeba Ali’s bizarre dismissal that left fans, players, and even commentators stunned.
It all began innocuously in the fourth over of Pakistan’s 248-run chase at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Indian pacer Kranti Goud steamed in and delivered one full and straight to Muneeba. The left-hander, with minimal footwork, prodded forward but missed. The ball thudded into her pads, prompting a huge appeal for lbw. The umpire wasn’t interested, and India, having already burned a review earlier, decided not to go upstairs.
At first glance, it seemed like the action was over. But as the cameras followed the ball, chaos ensued. Muneeba, perhaps thinking the play was dead, wandered out of her crease. Alert to the opportunity, the fielder, Deepti Sharma sent a quick throw back to the stumps.
Here’s where it got dramatic. Muneeba did ground her bat initially, but in a moment of misjudgment, she lifted it slightly just as the throw crashed into the stumps. The third umpire was called in. Slow-motion replays showed the bat in the air at the critical moment. After a tense review, the big screen flashed OUT.
The Pakistan camp couldn’t believe it. Muneeba stood in disbelief before storming off, while captain Fatima Sana exchanged words with the fourth umpire, visibly upset with the call. Meanwhile, the Indian players were jubilant — they had found a wicket out of nowhere and out of nothing.
Adding salt to Pakistan’s wounds, replays later revealed that Muneeba would have been lbw anyway had India reviewed the original appeal — a twist that made the entire sequence even more surreal.
But was the dismissal legitimate? According to the Laws of Cricket, Article 30.1, it certainly was.
30.1.1 “A batter shall be considered to be out of her ground unless some part of her person or bat is grounded behind the popping crease at that end.”
30.1.2 “However, a batter shall not be considered to be out of her ground if, in running or diving towards her ground and beyond, and having grounded 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.”
In this case, Muneeba was neither running nor diving — she had momentarily stepped out and lifted her bat. Hence, she did not qualify for the exemption under 30.1.2, making the run-out decision correct as per the laws.
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