On This Day: Kevin Pietersen attempts switch-hit off Tillakaratne Dilshan; latter refuses to bowl in Colombo Test

Kevin Pietersen attempts switch-hit off Tillakaratne Dilshan: The Sri Lankan all-rounder objected to the English batsman’s tactics.

During the third day of the second Test of England’s tour of Sri Lanka in 2012 in Colombo, an atypical incident happened on the cricket field when former Sri Lanka all-rounder Tillakaratne Dilshan refused to bowl to former England batsman Kevin Pietersen.

It all happened in the 115th over of the English innings when Dilshan and other Sri Lankan players objected to Pietersen frequently attempting to play the switch-hit.

Having first attempted the shot against New Zealand in 2008, Pietersen never faced such an objection before at the highest level. His attempt to counter a leg-side dominant field saw him facing an issue from the bowler this time round.

Umpire Asad Rauf eventually had to intervene to warn Pietersen for the initial movement of his hands was a tad too quick. “There’s no drama, no issue, I just got my timing wrong,” Pietersen was quoted as saying by reporters after the day’s play.

“He [Asad Rauf] said it was a warning because I moved my hands too quickly and I was okay, it was cool. But like I said when I first played the shot against New Zealand all those years back (in 2008): I don’t think the batter should get penalised because I’m the one taking the biggest risk. I don’t understand the rules, it’s just something I found out mid-innings today at a pretty unfortunate time,” Pietersen said.

Pietersen, who was in the middle of his 20th Test century, scored a whirlwind 151 (165) with the help of 16 fours and six sixes to become the “Player of the Match” for the eighth time in Test cricket.

Kevin Pietersen attempts switch-hit off Tillakaratne Dilshan

For more cricket-related news, click here.