Watch: Out or not out? Controversial low-catch decision decides IPL match
Watch: A controversial umpiring decision played a key part in the Punjab Kings-Kolkata Knight Riders clash in the 2021 Indian Premier League, with Rahul Tripathi adjudged to have grassed a low chance that could have changed the course of the contest.
KL Rahul was the batter in question, unbeaten on 62 at the time with 11 needed off 10 balls. The target seemingly became 11 off nine, with Rahul dismissed, when the Punjab Kings captain mistimed into the leg-side for Tripathi to hold onto the chance running in.
However, with the catch taken low to the ground, a lengthy umpiring review followed. With no soft signal protocol in place for IPL 2021, TV umpire Anil Dandekar had to make his mind up on his own, and ensured every angle was looked at multiple times in slow motion, before eventually spotting an angle which he felt showed the ball touching the ground.
Not everyone agreed with the decision, with the three on-air commentators, Sunil Gavaskar, Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bishop, all feeling that Tripathi had caught the ball.
“I don’t know what the soft signal was,” said Gavaskar. “There was no soft signal. This to me, is out.”
“I think so too, Sunny,” agreed Pietersen. “His momentum through the ball, he caught the ball. His fingers were underneath that ball, you can see from some of those replays.”
Bishop was more equivocal, indicating that he understood how the third umpire couldn’t be certain a catch had been completed, but still said, “From my perspective it looks out to me. I would say his fingers are underneath that.”
Several took to Twitter to make their opinions known too, including former India opener Abhinav Mukund and former Punjab Kings all-rounder James Neesham, who both felt it should have been given out.
How is that not out?🤷🏾♂️#IPL2021 #PBKS #KKRvPBKS
— Abhinav mukund (@mukundabhinav) October 1, 2021
Fingers under the ball. #KKRvPBKS
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) October 1, 2021
The decision was a crucial one. Although Rahul fell soon after, he added five off two balls before his dismissal, with Punjab Kings emerging victorious with three balls to spare.
