Out or not out?

Mahmudullah survived a controversial run-out chance, when he was given out initially by the on-field umpire, but on referral to the third umpire, the decision was overturned.

The Bangladesh innings was marred by a contentious incident in the last ball of the 45th over when Sikandar Raza scored a direct hit after Mahmudullah and Mashrafe Mortaza were involved in a mix-up, reports ESPNcricinfo.

Mahmudullah chopped a short ball from Cremer and took off for a single. Mashrafe Mortaza was not interested as the ball went straight to the fielder.

However, Mahmudullah kept on running, and the fielder struck the stump with a direct hit at his end.

Hopelessly out of his crease, Mahmudullah did not try to reach the crease as he was given out by the square leg umpire Aleem Dar.

Wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva had accidently bumped into the stumps and a bail had come off before Raza's throw had struck the stumps.

When Mahmudullah was walking towards the pavilion, Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and opener Tamim Iqbal came out and pointed out the mistake to the reserve umpire Anisur Rahman.

The TV umpire Enamul Haque saw about seven replays to ascertain whether Chakabva did knock down the bails and then adjudged Mahmudullah, who was standing near the dressing-room, not out. He was unbeaten on 32.

Elton Chigumbura, the Zimbabwe captain, would have none of it as he pointed to the on-field umpires that Chakabva later took off the stump to ensure the run-out.

Replays confirmed the same, but the square-leg umpire Aleem Dar had already given Mahmudullah out for the direct hit, which meant the ball was dead, and uprooting of the stump would not count.

When the TV umpire ruled in favour of Mahmudullah, Chigumbura became more animated as he conveyed his disapproval to the umpires.

Play was held up for at least five minutes as Zimbabwe players did not restart the game while their captain took his time to accept the final decision.

The Zimbabwe teams in the middle were given some signals from the dressing-room and did get into a sudden huddle, but ultimately Mashrafe shook hands with Chigumbura, and play resumed.

According to the rules of cricket:

If the bails have been removed from the stumps, a batsman is only out if the fielder pulls a stump out of the ground with the hand holding the ball.

If one bail is still on the stumps the fielder is allowed to knock the bail off to claim a run out.

And more significantly, a batsman cannot be given out in a dead ball incident.

As the ball was dead when Chakabva uprooted the stumps, and thus his appeal was null and void according to the canons of cricket.

The match referee Javagal Srinath will have several issues to sort out after the game, as the Zimbabwe captain may have crossed the line for dissent.

Play was held up for at least five minutes as Zimbabwe players did not restart the game while their captain took his time to accept the final decision. Photo: STAR