Opting to bowl didn’t yield much for Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis as they faced Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. Kolkata’s openers, Phil Salt and Sunil Narine, hammered 55 runs in just four overs, exerting immense pressure on RCB’s bowlers.
However, the visiting team glimpsed hope when they dismissed the dangerous duo during the powerplay. Yet, Kolkata couldn’t capitalize on their strong start, losing Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh swiftly without adding much to the scoreboard.
At 137/5 in 13.1 overs, Andre Russell entered the crease, only to encounter an unusual situation on his first ball. In the 14th over, RCB’s Lockie Ferguson delivered a high full toss to the West Indian all-rounder. Anticipating a different line, Russell adjusted slightly and attempted a cut shot.
Unfortunately, he only managed to edge it, prompting wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik to execute a splendid catch. Meanwhile, Karthik and the Kiwi speedster erupted in celebration as on-field umpire Akshay Totre signaled Russell out.
However, confusion arose when Russell contested Totre’s decision, citing that the delivery was above waist height, constituting a no-ball. Immediately, Russell called for a review, gesturing to leg-umpire Vinod Seshan. With prompt intervention, TV umpire Michael Gough reviewed the footage, confirming that the high full toss indeed exceeded Russell’s waist height by a significant margin.
— Debi Jag (@DebiJag608) April 21, 2024
— Debi Jag (@DebiJag608) April 21, 2024
Consequently, Totre reversed his decision, ultimately awarding it a no-ball. The incident sparked outrage on social media, with Twitter users expressing frustration over the umpire’s erroneous call, sparking widespread online debate.