ODI World Cup 2023: Boundary rope found displaced at time of Kusal Mendis' catch in Pakistan-Sri Lanka clash

In Pakistan-Sri Lanka match at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on October 10, a crucial moment blurred the line between the rules and human error. Kusal Mendis launched Hasan Ali's delivery high into the sky as Imam ul Haq awaited at the deep midwicket boundary and completed the catch. However, replays revealed that the boundary rope had been moved slightly back from its original position. If it had been in its proper place, Mendis' shot would have been a six instead of a catch.   

Furthermore, during the 37th over of the match, Shaheen Afridi was in the midst of his second ball. Facing him was Dhananjaya de Silva, who seized the opportunity to dispatch a half-volley over the wide long-off region. 

However, this seemingly routine boundary shot took an unexpected turn due to the peculiar positioning of the boundary line which was pushed back from its actual position. The ball landed perilously close to the cushioning, just shy of what would have been a clean six had the rope been in its original position. The commentators were quick to highlight the anomaly, pointing out the error that could have altered the outcome of the delivery.

Kusal Mendis's catch is taken by Imam on the boundary, where the boundary rope was moved a bit back.
If it was in its actual position it would've been a six!!

Who should be responsible for this?? ?@bhogleharsha#CricketTwitter #PAKvsSL #CWC2023
ISIS Hindus Belfast pic.twitter.com/hHiXENKHSD

— Ravi Chandel (@RaviChande37910) October 10, 2023

A strikingly similar incident unfolded during Pakistan's match against Netherlands as the midwicket boundary cushion that was found displaced for a significant portion of the game. The issue first came to light during the fifth delivery of the 21st over in the second innings, when the boundary cushion was visibly a few feet begind the marked white line beneath it, which is used for indicating the original position of the hoardings.

What does MCC laws say about boundary rope's positioning?

According to the MCC's Laws on Boundaries, any disruption to the solid object marking the boundary, in this case, the cushion, necessitates immediate restoration to its original position.

Clause 19.3.2 states, “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.”

The potential for controversy loomed large in such scenarios. Had a big shot landed over the white line but within the boundary cushion's boundaries, it could have left players, spectators, and officials pondering whether it was a four or a six. In such cases,

Clause 19.3.1 would have come into play, which states that “the boundary shall be considered to be in its original position” if it is disturbed for any reason.