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A big controversy happened in the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 match between India A and Pakistan A. Nehal Wadhera and Naman Dhir took a brilliant relay catch, but the third umpire declared the batsman not out. This shocked everyone. The decision was made according to MCC’s new fielding rules.
How Did the Controversy Start?
India A scored only 137 runs after losing early wickets. Pakistan A started well, and opener Maaz Sadaqat scored a fast half-century in just 31 balls.
During the 10th over, Sadaqat hit a high shot towards deep boundary. Nehal Wadhera jumped and caught the ball in the air. While still airborne, he pushed the ball inside the boundary. Naman Dhir caught it safely.
It looked like a perfect relay catch. Even Sadaqat started walking back to the pavilion.
But the third umpire surprised everyone by giving it NOT OUT.
Watch Full Video – The Controversial Catch
Fans want to see the incident themselves to understand why it was not given out.
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Why Was It Not Out? – MCC’s Updated Rule
MCC updated its fielding rules in June 2025, especially Law 19.5.2, related to boundary catches.
Also Read: Watch IND-A vs PAK-A Catch Controversy
According to the new rule:
- If a fielder touches the ball while flying outside the boundary and then lands outside the boundary,the catch is not valid.
- For a relay catch to be legal, all fielders touching the ball must be inside the field until the ball becomes dead.
- A fielder can touch the ball once while airborne outside the boundary only if they return inside the field before completing the play.
- In this case, Nehal Wadhera touched the ball and then landed outside the boundary rope. So, the catch was not allowed.
Why the Controversy Increased
Even though the catch was declared not out, Pakistan A did not get six runs or even one run, because the batsmen did not run.
This confused players and fans even more.
India A captain Jitesh Sharma immediately asked the umpires for clarification, but the decision did not change.
Match Result
After getting a lucky escape, Maaz Sadaqat continued to bat well. Pakistan A won the match easily by 8 wickets and qualified for the semi-finals.
Conclusion
This incident will be remembered as one of the most confusing moments in the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025. The new MCC rules have made boundary catches more complicated, and players will need to understand them better in future matches.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Trade: Full List of 10 Players Trade Before Retention
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