T20 World Cup 2024: Was Suryakumar Yadav’s game-winning catch in IND vs SA final legal? What the rules and playing conditions say

IND vs SA: Here are the laws concerning Suryakumar Yadav’s catch of David Miller in the last over of the thrilling final between India and South Africa.

India’s Suryakumar Yadav taking the catch to dismiss South Africa’s David Miller. | Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak / The Hindu

Suryakumar Yadav made headlines during the T20 World Cup 2024 final between India and South Africa in Barbados on Saturday when he took a catch at the boundary line.

With the Proteas needing 16 runs off the final over, David Miller hit a full toss from Hardik Pandya down the ground. Suryakumar covered groud to his left, grabbed the ball, threw it up in the air as momentum took him over the rope, hopped back in and completed the catch.

Miller’s wicket proved pivotal in India clinching the match by seven runs and getting its second T20 World Cup title.

However, replays showed a peculiar point of contention in the sequence of play. Though Suryakumar held the ball inches inside the the fence, the boundary line appeared to have been pushed back from its original place. This was evident from the white patch of grass left on as a result of being covered by the rope earlier.

According to law 19.3 and its sub-sections of the playing conditions of the T20 World Cup, titled ‘Restoring the boundary’, “If a solid object used to mark the boundary is disturbed for any reason, then: 19.3.1 - The boundary shall be considered to be in its original position. 19.3.2 - The object shall be returned to its original position as soon as is practicable; if play is taking place, this shall be as soon as the ball is dead. 19.3.3 if some part of a fence or other marker has come within the field of play, that part shall be removed from the field of play as soon as is practicable; if play is taking place, this shall be as soon as the ball is dead.”