The IPL 2025 started in a great way as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) faced each other in the tournament opener at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday evening (22nd March). During the first innings of the match, KKR opener Sunil Narine once hit the stumps with his bat, but it was given a wide ball, and he was not out. Here we are going through the key details for that decision.
After the RCB captain Rajat Patidar chose to field first in the IPL 2025 opener, the defending champions KKR scored 174/8 in 20 overs. While the skipper Ajinkya Rahane scored 56 runs, opener Sunil Narine scored the second-highest runs in that innings with 44 off 26 balls with five fours and three sixes.
After Narine’s opening partner Quinton de Kock was dismissed for four runs in the first over of the match, the Caribbean cricketer had a valuable 103-run second-wicket partnership with the skipper Rahane. Although Narine was struggling in the early period of the innings, he added valuable runs.
On the fourth ball of the eighth over of the innings, when Narine was facing the RCB right-arm pacer, Rasikh Salam, it was short of a length delivery that travelled over Narine’s head. Soon, it was realised that Narine hit the stumps with his bat. Although RCB had a light appeal, Narine was given not out, and it was a wide ball due to height.
What is the hit wicket dismissal?
The MCC law 35.1.1 claims, “The striker is out Hit wicket if, after the bowler has entered the delivery stride and while the ball is in play, his/her wicket is broken by either the striker's bat or person as described in Laws 29.2.1.2 to 29.2.1.4 (Breaking the wicket fairly).”
Why wasn't Sunil Narine given hit wicket? Was the wide ball a reason?
No, the wide ball wasn’t a reason for Sunil Narine’s not out. The MCC law 35.3 claims “No runs shall be scored when the striker is dismissed Hit wicket other than one-run penalty for a Wide and any award of 5 Penalty runs.”
So, why was Sunil Narine not out?
Sunil Narine was not out under the MCC law 35.2. That incident happened well after his playing action as he already completed his shot without any trouble, and his bat hit the wicket after completing the shot, which wasn’t under a hit wicket dismissal rule.
The law says, “It occurs after the striker has completed any action in receiving the delivery, other than in 35.1.1.2 to 35.1.1.4.”
35.1.1.2 claims “in setting off for the first run immediately after playing or playing at the ball.”
35.1.14 claims “in lawfully making a second or further stroke for the purpose of guarding his/her wicket within the provisions of Law 34.3 (Ball lawfully struck more than once).”
How many batters have been dismissed hit wickets in IPL history?
It is one of the rarest dismissal types. There are 15 different batters who have been dismissed hit wickets in IPL, and none of them have recorded it more than once.
KKR batter with hit wicket dismissal
For Kolkata Knight Riders, Sheldon Jackson is the only batter to be dismissed hit wicket. During the IPL 2017 match against the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in Kolkata, Jackson was dismissed through a hit wicket by Washington Sundar.