10 biggest Cricket World Cup controversies of all time

#9 2.5-meter rule

India played England In the 2011 World Cup in a group stage match in Bangalore. Ian Bell would have been dismissed leg-before-wicket, but umpire Billy Bowden did not declare him out, and the decision wasn’t reversed by DRS as the distance between point of impact and the stumps was shown to be 2.5 meters.

This rule was in place because the Hawk-Eye ball tracker falters from the point of 2.5 meters and it is the umpire’s decision to make the call if a batsman is out after that distance.

"You can set that mark wherever you want - Dhoni was saying 2.4 and 2.6 - but the experts have decided on 2.5m, after which the umpire and not technology decides,” said ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat.

The rule was subsequently revised, and the revision was also criticised by Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara, who held the view that the rule shouldn’t have been changed during the tournament.