Why it was six for Bangladesh in Asia Cup vs Sri Lanka

The television commentators were left surprised and made their displeasure known at a third umpire’s decision towards the end of the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh Asia Cup (Super Fours) match at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday (September 9) when tail-ender Nasum Ahmed’s shot was declared six although replays had shown that substitute fielder Dushan Hemantha had thrown the ball in before going out of the boundary.

For the record, Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by 21 runs and before the delivery on which the above-mentioned controversy arose, the Bangla Tigers needed 31 off 16 balls.

The left-handed Ahmed hit spinner Maheesh Theekshana over long-on and just as it was about to go beyond the boundary, Hemantha lifted his feet, held the ball and before going beyond the boundary threw the ball back inside the field of play.

The third umpire declared it as a six, leaving everyone on the field and in the commentators’ box surprised. Replays showed that the fielder had flicked the boundary wedges.

A look at the MCC laws, which govern cricket, on boundaries would tell us that the decision was right.

Rule 19.4.2 states, “The ball in play is to be regarded as being grounded beyond the boundary if

> a fielder, grounded beyond the boundary as in 19.5, touches the ball;

> a fielder, after catching the ball within the boundary, becomes grounded beyond the boundary while in contact with the ball, before completing the catch.

Considering the first point, it is clear that when Hemantha had touched the boundary wedge, he had gone beyond the boundary. Thereafter he remained beyond the boundary and outside the field of play, even while catching and throwing the ball. He had finally landed outside the boundary.

As the per law’s interpretation, even if he had finally landed inside the field of play, the shot would have counted as six since he had touched the ball outside the boundary as he had already touched the wedges and therefore, had gone out of the boundary.

As for the match, Sri Lanka had made 257/9 in 50 overs with Sadeera Samarawickrama scoring 93 off 72 balls (8x4s, 2x6s). Kusal Mendis (50) and Pathum Nissanka (40) had chipped in too. Pacers Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud took three wickets each.

In response, Bangladesh made 236 all out in 48.1 overs. Towhid Hridoy scored 82. Maheesh Theekshana (3/69), Dasun Shanaka (3/28) and Matheesha Pathirana (3/58) were among the top wicket-takers for Sri Lanka.

Asia Cup, Cricket, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh