MS Dhoni’s mistake costs Team India 5 runs

The Indian team is facing Bangladesh in the second semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2017 at Cardiff. Skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and there was no doubt in deciding to bowl first given the overcast conditions and the ability of his team to chase targets. On the field, a rare incident happened as MS Dhoni arguably the best wicketkeeper in the game at the moment made a mistake that cost the Indian team 5 extra runs.

It was the 40th over of the match as Ravichandran Ashwin was bowling his 9th over. On the third ball, Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah swept Ashwin in the long leg region for a single on a flat delivery that was bowled full at him. As they set off for a single Dhoni sensed the fielder was off the course in his throw and the batsman were trying to go for the second, he saw an opportunity to create a run out chance and thus removed one of his gloves and collected the ball only to deflect it towards the stumps.

On a deflected path, the ball landed on Dhoni’s glove and went away from the stumps. Though there was no chance of a run out there, the ball hitting the part of the wicketkeeper’s equipment did cost the Indian team 5 runs.

Umpire Richard Kettleborough was quick to realise that and went across to signal it to the scorers that 5 penalty runs had to be awarded to the Bangladeshi team since the ball should not come in contact with the pieces of equipment of the wicketkeeper when they are not being used and in case it does a penalty worth 5 runs charged on the team.

The Law

As per Law 42 – 17 (c) of the MCC Laws: When 5 penalty runs are awarded to the batting side under any of Laws 2.6 (Player returning without permission), 41.2 (Fielding the ball), or 41.3 (Protective helmets belonging to the fielding side) or under 3, 4, 5, 9 or 13 above, then

(i) they shall be scored as penalty extras and shall be in addition to any other penalties.

(ii) they are awarded when the ball is dead and shall not be regarded as runs scored from either the immediately preceding delivery or the immediately following delivery, and shall be in addition to any runs from those deliveries.

(iii) the batsmen shall not change ends solely by reason of the 5 run penalty.

Bangladesh certainly didn’t mind getting 5 additional runs given their innings was at a critical stage at that moment with the Indian bowlers subjecting them to a lot of pressure in the last part of the inning.