Watch: Tammy Beaumont escapes after 'cheating' accusation by India, here's what law says about Obstructing the Field

A controversy unfolded during the second Women’s ODI between India and England at Lord’s, with the visitors appealing for obstructing the field against Tammy Beaumont. Deepti Sharma, who was involved in the infamous run-out of Charlie Dean at the same venue in 2022, was once again present during the appeal.

England, led by Nat Sciver-Brunt, secured a comfortable eight-wicket victory in the rain-affected second ODI, leveling the ongoing three-match series 1-1. The game, disrupted twice by rain, was decided by the DLS method. Notably, the home team chased down the revised target with 18 balls to spare against India.

Watch: India Appeal for Obstructing the Field Against Tammy Beaumont

Chasing 144 runs, England had gotten off to a good start with Beaumont scoring 25 off 17 balls. Tammy Beaumont clipped a delivery from Deepti Sharma towards midwicket in the fifth over. She began to run but turned back as Jemimah Rodrigues fielded and threw the ball toward the striker’s end.

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Beaumont returned to her crease and grounded her left foot. However, she moved her right leg forward, seemingly attempting to deflect the throw. Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh appealed for obstruction.

The on-field umpires opted for a review. After reviewing multiple replays, the third umpire ruled the decision in Beaumont’s favor. The incident echoed past controversies involving Deepti Sharma at Lord’s.

Watch the video of the same posted by a user on X (formerly known as Twitter) below:

pic.twitter.com/9vNY1tJZte

— BavumaTheKing Temba (@bavumathek83578) July 19, 2025

Controversy at Lord’s! Did Tammy Beaumont Break the Rules?

While Tammy Beaumont was ruled not out, India had a case for appeal. According to the Laws of Cricket, a batter can still be given out for Obstructing the Field even after returning to the crease, as there is no clause exempting them in such a scenario.

37.1.1 in MCC's law book states, "Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, except in the circumstances of 37.2, and while the ball is in play, he/she wilfully attempts to obstruct or distract the fielding side by word or action."

37.1.2 states, "The striker is out Obstructing the field if, except in the circumstances of 37.2, in the act of receiving a ball delivered by the bowler, he/she wilfully strikes the ball with a hand not holding the bat. This will apply whether it is the first strike or a second or subsequent strike. The act of receiving the ball shall extend both to playing at the ball and to striking the ball more than once in defence of his/her wicket."

"Jemmi Definitely Felt That Maybe She Kicked It" - Smriti Mandhana on Tammy Beaumont Incident

Speaking after the end of the game, Smriti Mandhana addressed the obstructing-the-field incident involving Tammy Beaumont. Mandhana stated that she didn’t have a clear view of what happened.

“I was not in a really good angle, to be fair, probably it was not visible at all. Jemmi definitely felt that maybe she kicked it or something. They referred it, and it was not out, so I'm sure that they should have seen all the angles. That's the only view I have on it,” Mandhana told reporters.

“But I was in no angle, to be fair, to see what happened. At mid-on, you don't see what exactly happened from that way. So, not being diplomatic, but genuinely, I did not see it,” she added.

Also read: ‘Broke’ PCB desperate to sack Azhar Mahmood, but fails due to money crisis