The thriller game of the Women’s T20 World Cup has seen a massive controversy involving Indian women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur and the umpires. The drama during the match with New Zealand was over a decision on a run-out, and Harmanpreet was furious to such a point where she could not contain her emotions. This stopped the game but reflected how intense emotions go into playing competitive cricket.
It was the 15th over of the New Zealand innings. Amelia Kerr was a batter for New Zealand. She played the ball to long-off and took a run for herself. At this moment, her partner called out for a second run, and Amelia took the run. Amelia got run out when Kaur Harmanpreet was fielding and immediately threw the ball in the direction of the non-striker’s end.

What was the controversy in this incident?
As the game progressed, the umpires had already given the cap to Deepti Sharma who was bowling. A cap usually comes whenever the over is finished and the ball is dead. So, when the ball was declared dead by the umpires, Kerr went run out, but they declared she shouldn’t be out because the ball was dead before the throw was made.
The decision caused quite an argument. She was visibly agitated and made her case to the umpires for a long time on the field. They had to stop the game while she fought for what she believed in. The team’s coach, Amol Muzumdar, was also seen shouting from the boundary in support of his captain’s stand.
Awareness of the Rules
First, to get a better understanding of the situation, one must understand the principles that govern dead balls. A delivery is referred to as dead the moment an umpire hands the bowler a cap. Such would mean that, as of then, further play cannot be expected to take place. It is this rule that makes the game of cricket safe for the players and maintains its flow.

It proved confusing because Harmanpreet was holding the ball and going to the other end of the bowler. It gave an impression to the New Zealand batsmen that they can take another run, so Kerr got run-out at that moment. But as the ball had been declared dead by the umpires, they announced that run-out would not be accepted.
Reactions to the Incident
Not surprisingly, many cricket fans and analysts took to social media to comment on the call. Some simply defended the umpires, saying that the decision was right within the rules of the game. Others thought the umpires could have waited for a second more before deciding the ball dead which might have saved Smith’s wicket.
Harmanpreet’s reaction was not about that one decision; it reflected the passion and competitiveness of the Indian team. They were in a tough match, and every run and wicket mattered. The frustration from the players is palpable and reflected how they wanted to win the match.

Harmanpreet Kaur
Impact on the Match
But the match went on into the deep controversy; New Zealand ended up making a target, which seemed very tough to be chased by Indians, and the incident left its stamp on the minds of both the players and the fans. It remained to be seen if the Indians could regroup from this traumatic episode, guided by the gallant Harmanpreet, and hunt down the target set forth by New Zealand.
That match showed how competitive games can get, especially in a competition as big as the T20 World Cup. A single decision by the umpire can end up deciding the result of a game, and this incident epitomized that.
Conclusion
This incident with Harmanpreet Kaur and the umpires in the Women’s T20 World Cup reminds one of the great emotional highs and lows of sports. It shows how passionate the players can get over a game and the height to which one may climb to fight for the team. As a fan, we get to appreciate the dedication and spirit in fighting even in such tough situations. What do you make of the umpire’s decision? Was it fair or an error? Let me know your thoughts!