Was Umpire Richard Kettleborough Helping Virat Kohli Reach His 48th ODI Century by Not Signalling Wide During IND vs BAN CWC 2023 Match? Here’s What the Rule States

Virat Kohli's 48th ODI hundred was not just special as it took India to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on October 19. It also generated a fair bit of controversy with many fans accusing Kohli of being selfish when he did not take singles en route to getting to the three-figure mark. Also, umpire Richard Kettleborough did not signal a wide to a ball that seemingly went down the leg-side, when India needed just two runs to win and Kohli required three to score a century. A debate began if umpire Kettleborough was right to not give the ball a wide as it had gone down the leg. So was the English umpire helping Kohli score his century? Fans React After Umpire Richard Kettleborough Adjudges Nasum Ahmed's Ball to Virat Kohli As Legal Despite It Being Wide During IND vs BAN CWC 2023 Match (Watch Video).

Here's The Video:

Well apparently, the fact that the umpire did not signal a wide was because of a rule change and not that he wanted to help Kohli reach the three-figure mark. The earlier rule stated that a ball that passed wide of the striker also when he was in normal guard position, would be considered a wide. “If the bowler bowls a ball, not being a No ball, the umpire shall adjudge it a Wide if, according to the definition in 22.1.2, the ball passes wide of where the striker is standing and which also would have passed wide of the striker standing in a normal guard position," stated clause 22.1.1 of the MCC Laws of Cricket, as per Wisden. ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Points Table Updated.

However, there was an amendment made to this law, which came into effect on October 1. The change was meant to adapt to situations in modern-day cricket where batters are seen moving around the crease and making last-minute changes to their position. As per the new law, "Law 22.1 has been amended so that a Wide will apply to where the batter is standing, where the striker has stood at any point since the bowler began their run-up, and which would also have passed wide of the striker in a normal batting position.” In that case, Nasum Ahmed's first ball of the 42nd over was not wide as had Kohli remained in his initial position, the ball would not have gone down the leg side. He made a late movement as a result of which the ball passed him.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2023 03:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).