Five most controversial dismissals in IPL history
Since its inception in 2008, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a host to many intense matches that were marred with controversies and managed to attract the attention of the cricket fraternity. There have been games when the dismissals initiated by the bowlers or adjudged by the umpires stirred a heated debate as there was a big question mark over their credibility.
With the Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) all set to host the 14th edition of the T20 Championship from April 9 to May 30 in India, let us flip the pages and take a look at dismissals that made heads turn and became the focal point of discussion in the cricket fraternity.
5. David Warner’s dismissal against RCB (IPL 2020)
The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), hosted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also saw one controversial dismissal in an eliminator game between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Chasing a below-par total of 132 runs put up by RCB, SRH skipper David Warner was on the crease when he failed to properly judge a delivery by Mohammed Siraj.
The ball passed from the gap between Warner’s bat and legs and finished itself onto the keeper De Villiers’ hands. However while on its way the ball looked to have touched something either Warner’s glove or his trousers whose indication wasn’t utterly clear. The on-field umpire wasn’t satisfied by RCB’s appeal and gave the decision in the favour of the batsman.
However, RCB opted for DRS and the third umpire carried out a thorough replay of the delivery. Seeing from various angles, the umpire found no conclusive evidence of the ball touching Warner but he overturned the decision of the on-field umpire and gave Warner out. This resulted in many former cricketers raising some serious questions over the standard of umpiring.
4. MS Dhoni run out in the final (IPL 2019)
Playing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were in for a dramatic final as the game went down the wire with Mumbai emerging victorious by 1 run and lifting the cup for the fourth time. The final of the marquee tournament was marred with controversies.
One of the biggest talking points from the match was the former Indian captain MS Dhoni going back to the pavilion after scoring just 2 runs as he was adjudged run-out in the 13th over. It can be potentially considered as the changing point of the game as he found himself fractionally short of the crease to a throw from Ishan Kishan.
The on-field umpires immediately asked for assistance from Nigel Llong, the third umpire, who gave the result in the favour of Mumbai. However, the thing that stirred controversy was a visual from the game that showed Dhoni’s bat in the safe zone before the ball could hit the stumps.
3. Amit Mishra given out obstructing the field (IPL 2019)
Delhi Capitals were up against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator game of the 2019 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Visakhapatnam. The game was all set for a thrilling last-over finish and it became more interesting when the ace spinner Amit Mishra became only the second batsman in the history of the tournament to be given out obstructing the field after Yusuf Pathan.
In the last four balls of the final over, Delhi needed just two runs to book a place for themselves in the semi-final. On the third ball, Amit Mishra tried to take a cheeky single but he ended up running in front of the stumps and Khaleel Ahmed’s throw hit him on his arm. The Orange Army appealed to the umpires regarding Amit’s deliberate running in front of the stumps and the third umpire looked convinced with the argument as the batsman was given out.
However, SRH failed to register victory as Rishabh Pant smashed a four off the penultimate ball of the innings off Khaleel Ahmed and managed to take his team to the finishing line. The young keeper had emerged as the wrecker-in-chief for Delhi by scoring 49 runs off 21 balls when the team was chasing 163.
2. Yusuf Pathan given out obstructing the field (IPL 2013)
The 2013 edition of the T20 Championship saw all-rounder Yusuf Pathan getting dismissed by the umpires after he was found guilty of obstructing the field. Playing for Kolkata Knight Riders against Pune Warriors, Pathan was playing at 72 runs off 44 balls with eight fours and two sixes to his name, when in the 18th over he hit a yorker from Wayne Parnell.
The all-rounder quickly tried to sneak in a single. Running towards the non-striker’s end, Pathan attempted to push the ball away with his foot before the bowler could grab it and hit towards the stumps. The incident caught the attention of the opposition players and they appealed to the on-field umpire.
After a thorough discussion, the on-field umpires, Nigel Llong and K Srinath concluded that Yusuf had intentionally kicked the ball to save his wicket. Thus, the all-rounder had to go back to the pavilion. This was the first instance of a player losing his wicket for obstructing the field in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
1. Ravi Ashwin Mankads Jos Buttler (IPL 2019)
There is no doubt that Ravi Ashwin Mankading England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler in a game between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings during the 2019 edition wins the race of being the most controversial dismissal in the 13-year history of the T20 Extravaganza. While bowling against RR, Ashwin stopped midway through his bowling action and knocked over the bails hence capturing Jos Buttler for leaving his crease early.
The dismissal falls between the legal rules of cricket hence the on-field umpires didn’t withdraw Ashwin’s appeal and adjudged Buttler out. This was the second time that Buttler had a taste of Mankading as he was dismissed in a similar fashion by the Sri Lankan spinner Sachithra Senanayake back in 2014.
This incident initiated a heated debate in the cricket fraternity as many slammed Ashwin for not showing sportsmanship while some defended the spinner saying that it was a legal dismissal.
