A controversial moment unfolded during the India A versus Pakistan Shaheens match in the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament on Sunday. The incident involved a relay catch between Nehal Wadhera and Naman Dhir that was ultimately ruled not out by the third umpire.India A had set a modest target of 137 runs after experiencing a significant batting collapse.Pakistan A opener Maaz Sadaqat was dominating the chase with an impressive 31-ball fifty. The turning point occurred on the first ball of the 10th over when Suyash Sharma induced a lofted shot from Sadaqat towards deep field.
The controversial play began when Nehal Wadhera chased the shot to the boundary. While airborne outside the rope, he managed to flick the ball back into play, and Naman Dhir completed what appeared to be a valid relay catch inside the field.Maaz Sadaqat had already started walking back, assuming he was dismissed. However, the on-field umpires asked him to wait for the third umpire’s decision.The decision displayed as “Not out” on the screen left the Indian players stunned. Captain Jitesh Sharma immediately sought clarification from the officials regarding the ruling.Watch:The decision was based on a significant boundary fielding rule change announced by the MCC in June 2025. The amendment to Law 19.5.2 addressed confusion around airborne relay attempts and multiple touches outside the field of play.The previous rule only considered the first fielder’s position and grounding. This allowed multiple airborne relay touches outside the boundary.The updated law now requires all fielders who touch the ball to meet specific grounding requirements. A fielder can touch the ball once while airborne outside the boundary but must land inside the field and remain there until the ball becomes dead.According to Sub-Clause 19.5.2.1, when a fielder touches the ball while airborne outside the rope and then lands outside, the ball is automatically considered a boundary.In this case, because Wadhera’s first contact after touching the ball occurred outside the boundary line, the dismissal was disallowed. The controversy deepened when neither a six nor a single run was awarded to Pakistan Shaheens on the delivery, as no batters crossed the crease.Taking advantage of this fortunate decision, Sadaqat guided Pakistan Shaheens to a convincing eight-wicket victory. This win secured Pakistan Shaheens a place in the semi-final.
