WPL 2025: Runout Fair Or Not ? Views After DC vs MI Match

The WPL 2025 Delhi Capitals (DC) vs Mumbai Indians (MI) match on Saturday in Vadodara was a suspenseful encounter that lasted until the last ball. Yet it was the series of runout calls at the end of the game that fueled controversy and raised eyebrows over the umpiring judgments.

Three runout calls were referred for review at the close of the game, all three being adjudicated as not out by third umpire Gayatri Venugopalan. These choices, and especially two in the case of Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav, have generated controversy among players, commentators, and the public alike.

Controversial Runout Decisions: The Shikha Pandey Incident

The first of the controversial choices was about Shikha Pandey. While playing a crunch moment in the match, Pandey was part of a runout appeal where her bat seemed to be on the line of the stumps when the LED light, which indicates the stumps being struck, came on.

As per the match conditions of WPL 2025, if an LED light is being used, the first occasion when the LED light goes on is deemed as the ball had hit the stumps. In this scenario, when the LED light went on, Pandey’s bat had not crossed the line completely but was on it.

Former Indian captain Mithali Raj, who was providing commentary on the match, was critical of the decision taken by the third umpire. She maintained that the bat was not in the crease when the light first went off, implying Pandey had to be given out. Raj clarified that if a batter ducks and the bat comes back after crossing the crease, usually it is not given out.

But here, in Pandey’s case, the final ruling depended on a frame after the bails had fallen when the bat was firmly in the crease. MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur was not pleased with the ruling and talked to the on-field umpires, N Janani and Anish Sahastrabuddhe. Consequently, DC was given a bye on the same ball, with 24 to win off the remaining 14 balls.

Radha Yadav’s Runout Appeal: A Controversial Decision

Two balls later, there was another key runout appeal against Radha Yadav. Similarly, Yadav dove in to establish herself while trying a single, but when MI wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia pushed the bails and the LED light illuminated, no part of Yadav’s bat was on the crease. This further questioned the umpire’s thought process, as the third umpire declared her not out, taking the last frame when Yadav’s bat was on the crease, instead of the frame when the LED light was activated.

Mithali Raj once more protested against the umpire’s call, specifically emphasizing that according to the timing of the LED light and the location of Yadav’s bat, she ought to have been given out. Ignoring the fuss, Yadav went on to hit a six off the subsequent ball, and the DC target was now 10 runs in the last six balls.

The Final Ball Drama: Arundhati Reddy’s Runout Appeal

The last few seconds of the match witnessed a dramatic runout appeal once again, this time against Arundhati Reddy.

As DC required two runs for a win from the final ball, Reddy played an inside-out shot over the covers but missed timing the ball. MI’s Harmanpreet Kaur, who was in the covers, pulled off a great catch and threw back a thunderous throw to the striker’s end. Wicket-keeper Yastika Bhatia picked the ball and lifted the stumps as Reddy dove to save her ground.

Again, the LED light went off as Reddy’s bat was marginally on the line when the stumps were shattered. The third umpire, though, used the next frame, where the bat was evidently in the crease, and declared her not out, giving DC the match. The decision, taken at the last moment before the final frame, ensured DC’s victory in a nail-biting finish.

Mithali Raj’s Reaction to the Controversy

Mithali Raj, commentating on the match, was very vocal about her criticism of the third umpire’s actions. She opined that both Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav were incorrectly not given out under the conditions of the runout. The views of Raj found many watching sympathizing with them and asking whether the usage of LED lights to make things easier for umpires to make decisions could have caused misreading in such intense situations.

Impact on the Game: MI’s Frustration and DC’s Narrow Win

The controversy over the runout decisions further heightened the tension in the already high-pressure final stages of the match. MI, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, appeared upset by the result, especially after the near misses that went against them. DC’s players and fans heaved a sigh of relief as they secured the win, but the contentious runout decisions provided a sour taste for many.

Ultimately, as Delhi Capitals enjoyed their close win, the sequence of runout appeals will go down as one of the hottest moments of this year’s WPL. With the tournament unfolding, such judgment calls are bound to be debated even further, particularly about the application of LED lights to decide the fate of runout appeals in coming matches.

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