Rishabh Pant reacts after no ball controversy during the final Over of DC versus RR match bowled by Obed McCoy mars the passage of play.
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During the 34th match of the ongoing 15th season of the Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Rajasthan Royals (RR) defeated the Delhi Capitals (DC) by 15 runs, but not before it was marred by a shameful controversy during the final Over of the match.
En route the massive chase of 223 runs, after RR posted the highest total in IPL 2022 so far, DC, despite putting up a spirited performance needed another 36 runs off the final 6 deliveries, with Rovman Powell on the strike.
Things became spiced up real quick as Powell (36 off 15) smashed the first three deliveries of the Over bowled by Obed McCoy out of the park for Sixes.
However, the third Six in particular was the point where it looked like the match would be called-off with the DC dug out fuming at the two on-field umpires.
McCoy bowled a full Toss on the leg-side as Powell easily dispatched it for a maximum. However, DC skipper Rishabh Pant, along with the likes of Shardul Thakur et al were up on their feet while absolutely livid as to why the umpires were not consulting the third umpire for a possible no-ball check.
Pant, in fact, controversially gestured Powell and Kuldeep Yadav to leave the field and trudge back towards the dug-out after the umpires were happy declaring the delivery as legal.
Just what we needed tbh. The IPL was getting a bit boring otherwise. #TalkingPoint
— Sreshth Shah (@sreshthx) April 22, 2022
Pant sends Pravin Amre to have a word with Nitin Menon
Pant, in fact even sent Pravin Amre (DC assistant coach) on the field to have a chat with the umpires, in particular the main umpire for the Over – Nitin Menon, but to no avail.
Finally, after some words with batting coach Shane Watson, and some heated arguments with RR’s Jos Buttler at the boundary line, Pant calmed down as the match finally culminated with Powell failing to hit the remaining three deliveries possibly due to his involvement in the entire altercation which resulted in his loss of focus and momentum after all the furore.
Rishabh Pant reacts after no ball controversy
During the post-match presentation, Pant, while expressing his disappointment over his decision to sent Pravin Arme on the field, also exclaimed that it was his (and the DC camp’s) frustration that got the better of him and take that impulsive yet unwarranted decision as it was an obvious waist-height no-ball. He also added that the third umpire should have intervened on the matter.
“Yes, disappointed but can’t do much about it. Everyone was frustrated (in the dugout) that it was not even close, everyone in the ground saw that, I think the third umpire should have interfered and said it was a no-ball. Obviously it wasn’t right (sending Amre onto the field) but what happened with us is also not right, it happened in the heat of the moment. It was the fault from both sides and it is disappointing as we have seen some good umpiring in the tournament”, remarked Pant after being asked to open up on the developments leading to the incident.
