Read to find out whether ace India batter Kohli would have been dismissed for obstructing the field had Pakistan appealed in their Champions Trophy clash.
The Indian team put in an excellent performance in their second game of the Champions Trophy 2025. The side took on arch-rivals Pakistan in game 5 of the tournament at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23. It is worth noting that after Pakistan posted a total of 241 runs in the first innings of the game, it was the century of Virat Kohli that helped India chase down the target and win the game.
However, amidst the brilliant performances, there was one moment that captured the spotlight for the fans. During the second innings, Virat Kohli went on to push the ball towards extra cover and ran for a single. By the time the throw came in from the fielder, Kohli was well inside the crease.
However, the star batter made the decision to stop the incoming throw with his hand. Replays revealed that there was no one backing up the throw. With Kohli stopping the ball, many had questioned whether the star batter would have been given out if Pakistan had appealed.
It is worth noting that as per law 37.4, “Either batter is out obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, he/she uses the bat or any part of his/her person to return the ball to any fielder.”
Interestingly, had Pakistan appealed, Kohli would have been gone for 41. However, the Men in Green chose not to appeal, and Kohli continued to bat and ended up winning the game for India after scoring his century. Speaking of both sides, while India have won both their games in the tournament so far, they have almost qualified for the Champions Trophy semi-finals. On the other hand, Pakistan have gone on to lose both their matches in the tournament so far. The Men in Green are all but out of the competition and need nothing short of a miracle to keep their place.