IND vs SL, Asia Cup: How Dasun Shanaka survived in Super Over despite being run out? What does rulebook say? Explained

Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka escaped a clear run-out due to a technicality in cricket’s rules in a dramatic Super Over during the Super Fours contest against India in Dubai on September 27, 2025. His dismissal sparked heated discussions among fans and experts. Here is all you need to know about the incident and details from cricket’s rulebook.

What happened during the Super Over?

The drama unfolded on the fourth ball of Sri Lanka’s Super Over, bowled by India’s Arshdeep Singh. Shanaka, facing a high-pressure situation, was adjudged out caught behind by the on-field umpire after a confident appeal from the Indian side.

Wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, quick to react, threw the ball underarm to the stumps as Shanaka attempted a bye. The non-striker, however, showed no interest in running, leaving Shanaka visibly short of his crease when the stumps were broken.

Replays clearly showed Shanaka well outside his ground, but the initial caught-behind decision set the stage for an unexpected twist.

Sri Lanka opted for a review, and the third umpire overturned the caught-behind call, ruling that the ball had not made contact with Shanaka’s bat. What seemed like a straightforward run-out, however, was nullified due to a lesser-known rule.

The Rulebook: Why Dasun Shanaka survived run out?

According to MCC’s Laws of Cricket, specifically Rule 20.1.1.3, a ball is considered “dead” the moment a batter is dismissed by the on-field umpire.

The rule states, “The ball will be deemed to be dead from the instant of the incident causing the dismissal.”

Since the umpire had initially given Shanaka out caught behind, the ball was deemed dead at that point, rendering any subsequent action, such as the run-out attempt void.

Further clarifying this, Rule 3.7.1 states: “If following a Player Review request, an original decision of Out is changed to Not out, then the ball is still deemed to have become dead when the original decision was made.”

This meant that even though Shanaka was clearly short of his crease, the run-out could not stand because the ball was no longer in play after the initial dismissal call.

The aftermath: Sri Lanka’s super over struggles

Despite the reprieve, Shanaka’s survival was short-lived. On the very next ball, he was dismissed, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 2 for 2 in their Super Over. The controversial decision did little to change the outcome, as India capitalized on the low target to secure the victory.