Explained: Why the 'wrong-handed' stumping by Pakistan wicketkeeper against Australia should have been not out

Chasing 208, Connolly walked in with Australia at 82-6 and the match already out of their grasp. He lasted just two deliveries, becoming Nawaz’s fifth wicket of the game. The southpaw charged down the track but completely missed the ball as it turned massively down the leg side, and Nafay completed what looked like a relatively easy stumping considering Connolly was nowhere in the frame. Australia were reduced to 82-7 and were then bowled out for 96 to lose by 111 runs, their heaviest defeat in T20I cricket.

However, replays made it clear that the Pakistan wicketkeeper had actually broken the stumps with his left hand, but the ball was lodged in his right, a fact that went completely unnoticed during the game. If umpires had spotted this, the decision would, in all probability, have been reversed.

ICC’s playing conditions on breaking the wicket fairly

As per ICC’s playing conditions, the wickets are considered broken fairly only if the fielder, or in this case wicketkeeper, is holding the ball in the same hand used to dislodge the bail or uproot the wicket.

Clause 29.2.1 of the ICC men's T20 playing conditions reads, “The wicket is broken fairly if a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps or a stump is struck out of the ground - by a fielder with his hand or arm, providing that the ball is held in the hand or hands so used, or in the hand of the arm so used.”

In this instance, Nafay was not holding the ball in the hand that he used to break the stumps, which should have led to the inference that the stumps weren't broken fairly, and Connolly should not have been given out. 

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Australia endure difficult Pakistan series ahead of T20 World Cup

Along with the wrong decision, there’s a lot more that didn’t go Australia’s way. They struggled against Pakistan spinners to lose the three-match series 3-0 just a week before the T20 World Cup, while also suffering two of their three biggest T20I defeats in the format.

They will have only one warm-up game, in Colombo against the Netherlands on February 5, before beginning their T20 World Cup campaign on February 11 against Ireland. Pakistan, meanwhile, will play a warm-up match against Ireland on February 4 before starting off the T20 World Cup against the Netherlands on February 7.

Image Courtesy: SportsTV/YouTube

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