The 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) Eliminator match between the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) sparked a heated controversy over a leg-before-wicket (LBW) decision involving Dinesh Karthik. The incident occurred in the 15th over of RCB’s innings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 22.
After the dismissal of Rajat Patidar, Karthik came to the crease and faced his first delivery from Avesh Khan, which struck him on the pads and was ruled out by the on-field umpire. Karthik decided to review the decision following a discussion with his batting partner. The replays showed significant spikes on the ultra edge as the ball neared the bat, indicating potential contact.
However, this contact coincided with the bat hitting the pad, making it challenging to determine if the ball had indeed hit the bat. There was also a slight deviation observed after the ball passed the bat and hit the pad, adding to the complexity of the review. After careful consideration, third-umpire Anil Chaudhary overturned the on-field decision and declared Karthik not out, much to the frustration of the RR team.
Avesh Khan and Riyan Parag expressed their disagreement with the decision to the on-field umpire, emphasizing that the spike could be attributed to the bat hitting the pad. Additionally, RR’s Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara, left his spot in the dugout to discuss the decision with the fourth umpire. Karthik went on to score 11 runs off 13 balls, including one boundary, before being dismissed by Avesh Khan in the penultimate over of the innings.
Lomror and Swapnil’s Cameos Lift RCB to 172 Despite Karthik’s Struggles
Despite Karthik’s inability to significantly impact RCB’s total, contributions from Mahipal Lomror, who scored 32 runs off 17 deliveries, and Swapnil Singh, who added a quick cameo, helped RCB reach a total of 172-8 in their allotted 20 overs. Ravichandran Ashwin was the standout bowler for RR, taking 2 wickets for 19 runs, dismissing key batsmen Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell at crucial junctures.
Reflecting on his performance, Ashwin mentioned, “It’s been a tournament of two halves for me. I struggled initially coming from the Test series with injuries. However, in the last few games, I feel I am bowling really well. I texted Virat saying come on let’s fight it one more time.” As RR began their chase, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tom Kohler-Cadmore opened the innings, setting the stage for a potentially thrilling conclusion to the match.
“It’s been a tournament of two halves for me. First half into the tournament I was struggling coming from the Test series with injuries. Last few games I feel I am bowling really well. I texted Virat saying come on let’s fight it one more time,” Ashwin said during the innings break
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