Virat Kohli gets bowled on free hit but India awarded three byes; what do ICC rules say?

India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2022  match in Melbourne h short of drama, action, and emotion. match went down till final ball and it was Ravichandran Ashwin who hit winning shot to help Team India edge out Pakistan by four wickets in opening match of campaign. However, evening belonged to Virat Kohli who produced an absolute masterclass performance with bat with an unbeaten kck of 82 off just 53 deliveries. match h short of controversy, especially in final over where Kohli lost out of partners, but eventually won it for his side.

T20 World Cup: Why was India awarded runs despite Virat Kohli being bowled off free hit delivery?

incident happened on fourth delivery of final over. Kohli smashed a huge six off Mohamm Nawaz when Team India needed 13 runs off three deliveries. Seconds later, umpire also called it a -ball for being above waist height, awarding a free hit. next delivery was judged wide. free hit continued for next delivery, with Virat Kohli getting bowled. However, ball hit stumps and ran towards boundary line through third man region. Kohli and Dinesh Karthik ran three runs. Pakistan captain Babar Azam h a discussion with umpire on wher runs should be awarded to Indian team.

In free hit, re are only four modes of dismissals. first one is when a batsman handles ball, second one is when batsman hits ball twice, obstructing field, and final one is a ruut. India was awarded byes as ball was still in play because being bowled is t one of modes of dismissals mentioned. According to MCC Laws of Cricket, ball can only become de when it is finally settled in hands of wicketkeeper or of bowler, or when a boundary is scored. ball can also be called a de ball when a batter is dismissed. ball will be deemed to be de from instant of incident causing dismissal.

law - 20.1.1 – also states or different ways of declaring a ball de, including times when umpire has authority on decision. With regards to ball hitting stumps, umpire can call ball de when “one or both bails fall from striker’s wicket before striker has h opportunity of playing ball.”

T20 World Cup: India beats Pakistan in a dramatic final over 

With 16 runs needed in  last over, Nawaz gave India a huge blow dismissing Hardik Pandya on first ball of over. Pandya went to hit a big shot but mistimed it completely to give a catch to find Babar Azam at cover. Dinesh Karthik took a single before Virat Kohli scored two runs off next ball. Pakistan still h upper hand in match with India still requiring 13 runs to win off last three deliveries.

momentum of match shifted when Nawaz bowled a ball, which Kohli smashed for a six-over deep square. Pakistan spinner under pressure bowled a wide delivery before conceding three runs in byes off fourth delivery. Ar twist came in match when Nawaz dismissed Karthik via stumping off his fifth delivery, leaving equation to two runs off last ball. match turned towards India's favour yet again after Nawaz bowled yet ar wide. With a single needed of final ball, R Ashwin calmly hit a lofted shot over mid-off to seal match for India.