Virat Kohli confronted the match umpires after his freak dismissal against KKR’s Harshit Rana at the IPL 2024.
Out or not out? Virat Kohli’s cheap dismissal in the Indian Premier League season 2024 sparked a huge debate on Sunday. The former skipper of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru was outsmarted by Kolkata Knight Riders’ Harshit Rana, who bowled a slow full toss to bag the jackpot wicket of the Orange Cap leader at the Eden Gardens. Facing Rana in the third over of the RCB innings in the high-scoring IPL 2024 showdown, Kohli failed to time the ball, which appeared to be an over-the-waist no ball.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli chats with the umpire after he is given out (AP)
Batting outside the crease, Kohli was treated with a slow full toss by Rana. With the KKR bowler outfoxing the RCB batter, Kohli ended up giving away a top edge towards Rana. After the KKR bowler took the catch, Kohli immediately went for a review. With the on-field umpire summoning the third umpire for a referral, Kohli thought that the review would hand the RCB batter a lifeline. However, Kohli was given out, and the RCB batter confronted the officials following the freak dismissal.
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Kohli hurls a mouthful as no-ball storm hits RCB
As third umpire Michael Gough was convinced that the ball dipped below the waist, an animated Kohli lamented the match officials for adjudging him out. Ball-tracking technology suggested that the delivery would have been a below-the-waist ball if Kohli had his usual batting stance. Kohli was dismissed for 18 off 7 balls as the former RCB skipper extended his low-scoring run in the green jersey.
‘It was a legal ball’
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan also welcomed the third umpire’s decision during the IPL 2024 match. “It was a legal ball,” Pathan said in his tweet. Kohli scored two ducks in RCB’s green jersey in the 2023 and 2022 seasons. The 35-year-old scored 18 when RCB donned their green jersey for the first time in the 2024 season. However, batting icon Kohli has retained the top spot in the Orange Cap standings after his low-scoring outing against KKR. Kohli has amassed 379 runs in eight matches this season.
What do ICC rules say?
According to Law 41.7.1 of the ICC, any delivery which passes or would have passed, without pitching, above the waist height of the batter, standing upright at the popping crease, is a fair one. If the bowler comes up with a delivery that is likely to inflict physical injury on the batter, then the umpire can call and signal a no-ball. Kohli would have received the ball below the waistline if the RCB opener was batting inside the crease.
