• Home
  • Match Hub
  • Explained Why Was Phoebe Litchfield Given Not Out In Ind Vs Aus Womens T20 Wc Match

Explained: Why Was Phoebe Litchfield Given Not Out In IND Vs AUS Women's T20 WC Match?

Phoebe Litchfield survived a close LBW call [Source: @ppushp7/x.com]Phoebe Litchfield survived a close LBW call [Source: @ppushp7/x.com]

In the thrilling ongoing Women's T20 World Cup 2024, the match between India Women and Australia Women on Sunday took a dramatic turn when Australian batter Phoebe Litchfield found herself at the centre of a controversial LBW decision. With the game delicately poised, India was banking on a breakthrough to slow down Australia’s momentum, but fate—and a review—had other plans.

Phoebe Litchfield Survives After Tense LBW Review

The incident occurred in the 16th over, with Deepti Sharma tossing up a tempting delivery around leg stump. Litchfield, attempting an audacious reverse sweep, missed the ball entirely, and it struck her on the front pad.

Umpire Sue Redfern didn’t hesitate, raising her finger in what looked like a straightforward LBW decision. Phoebe Litchfield, however, wasn’t willing to accept her fate just yet; after a brief chat with her batting partner, she decided to review the decision, hoping for a reprieve.

The third umpire reviewed the footage closely, analysing every angle with an eagle eye. Initial replays confirmed there was no bat involved, shifting the focus to ball tracking.

Tension built up as the crowd waited, and then came the twist—ball tracking showed that the delivery had pitched outside leg stump. The decision was on the verge of being overturned, but there was one more layer of drama to come.

Why Was Litchfield Not Given Out?

Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, sharp as a tack, approached umpire Redfern, pointing out that Litchfield had altered her stance while attempting the reverse sweep.

According to law 36.1.2 of the MCC, the batter is given leg before only if, “the ball, if it is not intercepted full-pitch, pitches in line between wicket and wicket or on the off side of the striker’s wicket.”

It's important to note that the definition of the off and on sides does not change even if the batter changes his stance in attempting a reverse sweep or a switch hit. Thus, technically, the ball indeed pitched outside the leg stump, and the TV umpire was correct in her judgement. 

This argument added yet another dimension to the decision as the third umpire took a moment to consider Mandhana’s perspective. After reviewing the evidence, however, the third umpire stuck with the original verdict of not out. Litchfield, who had already taken a few steps towards the pavilion, turned back, glancing at the big screen as the final decision lit up. 

This decision turned out to be a lifeline for Australia Women, who, at 139/6 after 19 overs, needed every run they could muster to post a competitive total. Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland, now in the middle, are pushing to take Australia past the 150-run mark, a target that could give their bowlers something to defend against India’s powerful batting lineup.