Sunil Narine IPL 2025: During Kolkata’s innings, Sunil Narine, who opened the batting, struck the stumps with his bat, causing the bails to fall. Despite the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) players’ appeals, he was not ruled out for hitting the wicket. This incident has sparked intense discussions on social media. Some argue that Narine should have been given out, claiming the umpire made an incorrect decision, while others contend that the umpires acted correctly according to the rules, asserting that Narine was not out.

RCB won the toss and opted to have KKR bat first, with Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock as the opening pair. In the very first over, Hazelwood dismissed de Kock, sending him back to the pavilion. Following this, Narine and captain Ajinkya Rahane formed a solid partnership, adding 105 runs for the second wicket. In the seventh over, RCB’s Rasikh Salam bowled, and during this over, Narine misjudged a short ball, causing his bat to hit the stumps and dislodge the bails.

However, the leg umpire had already called the delivery a wide due to its height, and wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma had gathered the ball in his gloves. This meant that Narine had completed his batting action, and once the umpire signaled, the ball was considered dead.

According to the MCC cricket rules, a batsman is deemed out hit wicket if he or his bat strikes the stumps while playing the ball, while running, or when attempting to prevent the ball from hitting the wicket a second time. However, a batsman is not out hit wicket if the contact with the stumps occurs after the delivery has been completed. Since the ball had already reached the wicketkeeper’s gloves and the delivery was deemed complete before Narine’s bat made contact with the stumps, the umpires ruled him not out in accordance with rule 35.2.