However unfortunate it may sound from a fielding team’s perspective, but, penalty runs have a crucial role to play in cricket. The role is not just limited to the numerical value, which means that the batting team (on most occasions) is awarded with five penalty runs in the form of extras. It also ensures discipline on the ground and prevents a major wrongdoing.
Five cases where the opposition team was awarded with five penalty runs in cricket are:
- Ravindra Jadeja running on the danger area of the pitch twice in the same innings, only to be warned and caught by the umpires and being given five penalty runs. When New Zealand started their innings, their score was 5-0 before a ball being bowled.
- When the ball ricocheted off Rashid Latif’s bat, over the Sri Lankan wicket-keeper, to come in contact with the keeper’s helmet. Seldom would you such a shot yielding six runs in cricket.
- When Faf du Plessis was accused of ball tempering. Apparently, there was a recorded video where du Plessis was seen rubbing the ball with the zipper of his trouser. Whether it was an intentional act or just an accident, only he knows!
- When Virender Sehwag intentionally kicked the ball out of the boundary. Needing a sole wicket to win, India wanted Morne Morkel to be on strike on the first ball of the fresh over. Had the ball not reached the boundary, Hashim Amla would have been on strike. In desperation, Sehwag kicked the ball to let it go past the boundary only to concede five extra runs.
- When Australian wicket-keeper, Brad Haddin, stopped the ball with his glove. In what was a desperate effort to save a couple of runs, Haddin ended conceding five extra runs as a penalty.
Watch the video to see all the above-mentioned incidents:
