IND vs SL: A Pakistani Fan Questions Did Ishan Kishan Obstruct The Field – India sealed their place in the final of the Asia Cup 2023 with a 41-run victory in the Super 4 round match agaisnt Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesday.
It was a tight, low-scoring game with India being able to defend their total of 213. India captain and opener Rohit Sharma was the only half-centurion in the match but it was young Sri Lankan all-rounder Dunith Wellalage bagged the man of the match award and all the headlines for his superb all-round show – 5/40 with the ball and 42* with the bat – to almost cause an upset over India.
One incident has been a talking point among fans on social media. The match was also keenly followed by the Pakistani fans as they were wishing for Sri Lanka’s loss and India’s win to keep alive the chances of Pakistan reaching the final of the Asia Cup 2023.
One Pakistan fan, Shahid Akhtar with Twitter handle @rolex9p, made an observation that Ishan Kishan should have been given out obstructing the field, but Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka didn’t appeal.
This incident happened in 25th over of India’s innings when Ishan Kishan tapped a ball from off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva to the cover fielder. Ishan Kishan showed no intention of running for a single as the ball went striaght to the cover fielder, who surprisingly fired back a throw at Kishan’s chest height. Instead of ducking or moving away, with no time in his hand, Kishan caught the ball himself.
The fielder and the Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka both raised their hands in apology as this could have hit Kishan and even injured him.
This Pakistani fan, however, raised a question on Twitter whether Kishan was obstructing the field and should have been given out. He also invoked the intangible Spirit of Cricket.
“Spirit of cricket! Sri Lanka didn’t appeal when Ishan Kishan could have been given out obstructing the field. Dasun Shanaka is a gem, this nation is something else,” the fan tweeted.
https://x.com/rolex9p/status/1701678983023104203
Was Ishan Kishan obstructing the field? Should he have been given out?
No Ishan Kishan wasn’t obstructing the field. Two things: when Kishan caught the throw from the fielder, he was already in the crease, and second, he was also defending himself from an injury if the ball hit him directly.
An Indian fan replied: “Lol.. do you even know the rule? He could be given out only if he is out of the creeze or if he stops the balls by hand while the ball is still in the play.”
