On Thursday, in the first T20I match in Visakhapatnam, Suryakumar Yadav guided India to an easy two-wicket victory over Australia. In a thrilling match, India lost three wickets in the last over while chasing a score of 209.
Josh Inglis’ outstanding 110 off only 50 balls helped the Australians smash a massive total of 208/3 in 20 overs. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav as well as Ishan Kishan then played outstanding half-century efforts to get the hosts very close to victory.
But after the duo went back to the pavilion, it helped the Australians get back into the contest. Nathan Ellis’s close penultimate over, in which he let up just six runs, kept the game thrilling until the finish. The hosts required one run from the last ball with the game hanging in the balance. Rinku Singh was on strike against Sean Abbott with a 22-run bat.
As it happened, Indian supporters screamed a yell of joy as Rinku smacked Abbott’s ball over the latter’s head to earn a maximum. Abbott overstepped, though, and the umpire called a no ball at that point. Since India won the game due to that extra that Abbot conceded, Rinku’s boundary was not considered.
According to the apex cricket council T20I rulebook, it clearly states that, “As soon as a result is reached as defined in clauses 16.1, 16.2 or 16.3.1, the match is at an end. Nothing that happens thereafter, except as in clause 41.17.2 (Penalty runs), shall be regarded as part of it.”
More from cricket’s rulebook regarding the rule!
According to this regulation, India would have achieved its target immediately. This is because the no ball had been delivered, so the six runs would not be considered valid. Unfortunately for Rinku, the six runs could have stood if India had required a single run to win.
The rulebook further states, “If a boundary is scored before the batters have completed sufficient runs to win the match, the whole of the boundary allowance shall be credited to the side’s total and, in the case of a hit by the bat, to the striker’s score.”
