Fact check: Was it intentional from Richard Kettleborough to allot wide to let Virat score hundred against Bangladesh?

The umpire’s decision to not give a wide to a delivery, which was going down the leg when Virat Kohli was on strike during the match between India and Bangladesh in the 2023 ODI World Cup, has caused a debate among the fans, former cricketers, and experts. Many felt that it was not a wide delivery. Some others pointed out the laws.

In Marylebone Cricket Club’s laws of cricket, a new update was made last year regarding the wide deliveries. It was named with the clause 22.1.1. The law states, “If the bowler bowls a ball, not being a No ball, the umpire shall adjudge it a Wide if, according to the definition in 22.1.2, the ball passes wide of where the striker is standing, and which also would have passed wide of the striker standing in a normal guard position.”

It is important to note what Clause 22.1.2 states. “The ball will be considered as passing wide of the striker unless it is sufficiently within reach for him to be able to hit it with the bat by means of a normal cricket stroke,” states Clause 22.1.2. If the ball is in the sufficient range of the batter to be hit, it would not be considered a wide, states the clause.

Amendment of the law for wide by Marylebone Cricket Club 

The update on the rule was made last year. The Marylebone Cricket Club stated the same following the decision on Virat Kohli. “In the modern game, batters are, more than ever, moving laterally around the crease before the ball is bowled. It was felt unfair that a delivery might be called ‘Wide’ if it passes where the batter had stood as the bowler entered his/her delivery stride,” said the statement of the club.

The club talked about the amendment in the law which took place recently. “Therefore, Law 22.1 has been amended so that a Wide will apply to where the batter is standing, where the striker has stood at any point since the bowler began their run-up, and which would also have passed wide of the striker in a normal batting position.”