'They left it like that': Ambati Rayudu says rope was pushed back before Suryakumar Yadav’s WC catch

Over a year after India’s dramatic T20 World Cup 2024 final win over South Africa, former batter and commentator Ambati Rayudu has stirred fresh controversy—admitting that the boundary rope was accidentally shifted before Suryakumar Yadav’s game-changing catch of David Miller.

Speaking on the Unfiltered Podcast, Rayudu revealed that a chair and screen placed for broadcast purposes during a break led to the boundary rope being pushed back at the Kensington Oval. The equipment was later removed, but the rope wasn’t returned to its original position.

“There were world feed commentators. During the break, they put a chair and screen there to help the broadcasters. That’s why they pushed the rope backwards a little bit,” Rayudu explained. “But they left it like that. That’s how the boundary became a little bigger for us. We could see it from above. It was god’s plan.”

The revelation reignites debate over one of the final’s most controversial moments. Suryakumar Yadav’s acrobatic boundary catch to dismiss Miller turned the tide in India’s favor. At the time, replays showed the ball traveling perilously close to the boundary rope, prompting concerns about the legality of the dismissal.

When asked whether it would’ve been a six had the rope been in its original position, Rayudu responded, “Maybe Surya would’ve run from inside.” Still, he stood by the outcome: “It was a clean catch. End of the day, God was with us.”

Suryakumar himself offered a noncommittal response during the post-match interview, saying, “I don’t know if it was a six or not.”

Though the incident triggered some pushback from current and former cricketers at the time, the controversy faded in the aftermath of India’s title win. Rayudu’s comments, however, bring renewed scrutiny to how such technical lapses may influence match-defining moments.

India defeated South Africa in a nail-biting final to lift their second T20 World Cup title.