In a dramatic and controversial WPL 2025 encounter between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals in Vadodara, the game ended with a contentious umpiring decision that left Mumbai Indians feeling hard done by. The use of LED Zing bails in the final ball created confusion, leading to a decision that arguably cost Mumbai Indians the match.
Delhi Capitals needed two runs off the final delivery to clinch victory. Arundhati Reddy lofted the ball over the off-side in-field, prompting a frantic chase and throw from Harmanpreet Kaur. The ball arrived at the wicketkeeper’s end with Arundhati diving to make her ground. The Zing bails lit up before she had fully grounded her bat, suggesting she was short of her crease at the moment the stumps lit up.
However, under the WPL playing conditions, the moment at which the Zing bails light up is considered the point of dismissal, rather than when the bails are fully dislodged. This interpretation differs from the traditional cricket law, which states that the wicket is put down only when the bails have been permanently removed. According to this rule, Arundhati should have been given out, as the bails lit up before she was safely inside the crease. Instead, she was ruled not out, allowing Delhi Capitals to secure a last-ball win.
Watch the final ball footage here:
This wasn’t the only contentious call in the match. Two earlier decisions also went against Mumbai Indians under similar circumstances:
The fundamental problem arises from the inconsistency between the traditional laws of cricket and the WPL’s playing conditions. As per the Laws of Cricket, a wicket is considered broken only when the bails are permanently removed from the stumps.
However, WPL rules define the moment of dismissal as when the Zing bails light up, which can happen fractions of a second earlier. This discrepancy has led to controversial decisions, and in this case, arguably cost Mumbai Indians a victory.
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According to WPL Playing Conditions: “Where LED Wickets are used (as provided for in paragraph 3.8.1.5) the moment at which the wicket has been put down (as per clause 29.1) shall be deemed to be the first frame in which the LED lights are illuminated and subsequent frames show the bail permanently removed from the top of the stumps.”
The Zing bails technology has been under scrutiny in recent years, with similar debates arising in international cricket. The WPL’s interpretation of when a batter is out needs to be revisited to ensure fairness and consistency. If the traditional laws were applied, Mumbai Indians could have forced a Super Over or even won the match.
The heartbreak for Mumbai Indians is compounded by the fact that three crucial decisions went against them, two in the final overs and one on the last ball of the game. While Delhi Capitals celebrated a thrilling win, Mumbai Indians were left questioning the fairness of the umpiring decisions.
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