World Cup 2019: Did New Zealand really have six fielders outside the inner circle during MS Dhoni’s dismissal?

Many hearts were broken the moment MS Dhoni was run out from a direct hit by Martin Guptill. The dismissal ended India’s hopes of making it to the final of the 2019 World Cup as they fell short of the target by 18 runs. It was a telling moment in the game, as the stage was set for the former captain to finish the game in style and earn a prestigious win for his country.

Soon after the match was over, Twitter was filled with screenshots and videos from fans all over the world, showing how the umpires had missed an obvious violation of fielding restrictions from the Black Caps side. Twitterati pointed out that the delivery on which MS Dhoni suffered a run-out, was a no-ball. If the screenshots are to be believed, then six fielders stood outside the inner circle, which is against the laws set by ICC for fielding powerplays which allows just five.

An error that was actually not the fault of the on-field officials

However, now it has come to light that it was not something that the on-field umpires missed out, but in fact, it was an error on the part of broadcasters, who displayed incorrect graphic. On the first ball of the 49th over, MS Dhoni hit Ferguson for a six and the Kiwis had five fielders outside the circle – third man, deep fine leg, deep point, deep square leg, and long-on.

For the next ball, the mid-wicket fielder went out and deep fine leg was called in and Dhoni couldn’t manage to score any run off it. Before the third ball was bowled, the broadcasters showed the said graphic with six fielders outside the circle – third man, deep fine leg, deep point, deep square leg, deep mid-wicket, and long-on.

However, what the broadcasters couldn’t pick was that New Zealand had shifted the short fine-leg fielder and moved the third man fielder. This was even picked up by the Kiwi commentator Ian Smith, who mentioned it on air, saying, “…has come across to Ferguson and said bring up the third man, send back fine leg. Williamson wasn’t really involved in the conversation. Ferguson shifting his own man here.”