Third umpire Rohan Pandit's decision to rule Angkrish Raghuvanshi out for"Obstructing the Field" during Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) IPL 2026 game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has been approved the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Thursday with a detailed explanation.
The incident took place at the Ekana Stadium on April 26, when KKR batter Raghuvanshi came down the pitch for a single but was sent back midway by batting partner Cameron Green. As a result, Raghuvanshi, who had already set out for a run, turned around and tried to return to his crease, thus coming in between of Mohammed Shami's throw and the stumps.
As a result, the ball hit Raghuvanshi's shoes, prompting Shami to appeal for "Obstructing the Field". Pandit, after a review, ruled Raghuvanshi out under Law 37. The decision didn't go well with the KKR players and support staff, who expressed their displeasure on the decision. Even head coach Abhishek Nayar was also seen arguing with the fourth umpire on the sidelines.
Four days after the incident, the MCC (guardian of the Laws of the game) issued a detailed clarification, stating that the umpire was absolutely spot on with his decision. The MCC said that Law 37.1.1 deemed a batter out if they "wilfully attempt to obstruct or distract the fielding side by word or action," emphasising the intent behind the movement rather than just the outcome.
What did MCC say on Raghuvanshi's dismissal?
The MCC cited a long-standing interpretation in the Tom Smith's Cricket Umpiring and Scoring which states that if a batter changes the direction while running - particularly one who changes direction to run on the pitch, or takes any other route that would not be the quickest way to the other end - constitutes a wilful act.
MCC said that Raghuvanshi clearly met the criteria. "When he sets off for his run, he is on the off side of the wicket. As the ball reaches the fielder he crosses to the middle of the pitch - which is not somewhere he should be running in any event - and then turns and runs back on the leg side, putting himself between the ball and the wicket. This is, by definition, a wilful act."
"Had he stayed off the pitch, remaining on the off side, the ball would not have hit him and even there would have been no question of an obstruction. If he had started running down the leg side, then turned and returned to his ground on that same side before being hit by the ball, that would also see him being Not out - he would have been in the way, but not wilfully. It is the wilful crossing of the pitch that caused his downfall," it elaborated.
The MCC statement also clarified that whether a dismissal was likely is not a criterion in Obstructing the field. Following the dismissal, Raghuvanshi angrily hit the boundary cushions with his bat and also threw his helmet on the ground, for which the KKR batter was sanctioned by the BCCI.
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