Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) confirmed a top-two spot in the ongoing IPL season after pulling off the Lucknow heist against the Super Giants at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium, chasing down 228 runs in just 18.4 overs, led by stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma's whirlwind 85* off just 33 balls. Jitesh, who smashed six sixes and eight fours in his innings, didn't ride spotless with as many as three chances going down begging for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), however, he made the full use of them and ended up registering the highest-ever chase for RCB in the IPL.
Out of three chances he got, one was the non-striker's run out attempted by LSG spinner Digvesh Rathi before delivering the final ball of the 17th over. Rathi saw Jitesh backing up too early before he delivered the ball and appealed for it. The on-field umpire, Michael Gough, checked with Rathi if he wanted to go for it and he nodded before the third umpire, Ulhas Gandhe, got into action.
Gandhe used terms like "completed his delivery stride" and that the bowler was "past the popping crease", which don't exist in the rulebook and gave the decision in the batter's favour. Rishabh Pant, the LSG skipper, in the meantime, withdrew the appeal. However, if the umpire had gone by the MCC Laws and the regulations in the IPL playing conditions, Rathi would have had his man, since he rotates his arm twice, he hadn't completed his action.
According to Section 38.3.1 of the IPL 2025 Playing Conditions,
If the non-striker is out of his/her ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be Run out by the bowler attempting to run him/her out.
In these circumstances, the non-striker will be out Run out if he/she is out of his/her ground when his/her wicket is broken by the bowler throwing the ball at the wicket or by the bowler’s hand holding the ball, whether or not the ball is subsequently delivered.
According to the MCC's Laws of Cricket (section 38.3.1.1),
The instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball is defined as the moment the bowler’s arm reaches the highest point of his/her normal bowling action in the delivery swing.
The keyword here is "the highest point of the release" and Rathi attempted the run out just after one rotation, before completing his action and the popping crease had no part to play in the same. The call by the TV umpire was incorrect and Rishabh Pant's decision to withdraw the appeal was anything but in the 'Spirit' of the game. It would have been interesting to see if Pant would have taken the same call if LSG's qualification depended on the result.
Jitesh already had survived a catch out on a back-foot no ball by Rathi earlier in the over and this decision just further increased the bowler's frustration. RCB accumulated 21 runs off the next over, before finishing things off in the 19th to seal a place in the first qualifier and a date with the Punjab Kings, the fellow trophy-less side.