The IPL 2025 clash at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium featured two teams with very different goals. Mumbai Indians were eyeing the top spot on the table, while Rajasthan Royals were fighting to stay alive in the tournament.
Winning the toss, the Royals opted to field first, and Jofra Archer opened the proceedings with a tight over, conceding just two runs. The match promised intensity from the very beginning, with both teams under pressure for very different reasons.
It was Rohit Sharma who broke the early silence, smashing the first boundary of the game in the second over, bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi. But the joy was short-lived. The very next delivery, an inswinger from Farooqi, sneaked past Rohit’s bat and struck him on the pads. The on-field umpire raised his finger without hesitation, and it looked like a straightforward LBW decision in real time.
Rohit appeared resigned to his fate and started walking back, convinced he was trapped plumb in front. However, his opening partner Ryan Rickelton stepped in and urged him to reconsider. With the review timer rapidly ticking down, Rohit finally opted to challenge the decision in the final second — a move that would prove to be game-changing.
The replays showed that the ball had pitched outside leg stump, and the decision was overturned. Rohit survived, thanks to Rickelton’s intervention and the razor-thin timing of the review. What initially seemed like a routine dismissal turned into a moment of high drama, as social media lit up with praise and relief over the successful review. Fans flooded Twitter with reactions, many lauding the last-second call that kept their star batter in the middle.
— ricky (@ricky5959046277) May 1, 2025
The moment highlighted both the importance of smart decision-making and the razor-thin margins that define T20 cricket. For MI, it meant Rohit could continue anchoring the innings, while for RR, it was a missed opportunity that could’ve shifted early momentum. As the match progressed, that moment remained one of the most talked-about highlights — a reminder of how every second counts in the IPL.