Harshal Patel was forced out of the attack after bowling two beamers in the 20th over of Chennai Super Kings’ innings against Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2023.

The final over of CSK’s innings was replete with extras – Harshal started off with a high full-toss, followed it with a wide and hurled another high full-toss, both to Moeen Ali.

The first no-ball was reviewed by RCB, but confirmed to be a beamer by the third umpire. Two balls later, Harshal repeated the same – probably failing in his attempt for a yorker. The on-field umpire did not call it a beamer first, but CSK reviewed thereafter. Replays confirmed it was above the waistline.

Having bowled two beamers, Harshal was taken out of the attack. With Faf du Plessis stepping out of the field earlier in the over, Glenn Maxwell had taken over captaincy and proceeded to have a chat with the umpires, possibly debating whether the beamer could be deemed dangerous. Eventually, it was Maxwell who had to complete the over.

It is to be noted that the laws concerning beamers have been revised a couple of times in the last few years. During IPL 2021, Harshal bowled two beamers in the same over, but was not taken out of the attack, due to a change in law in 2018, which allowed the umpires more discretion in deciding whether a beamer was dangerous.

Before the revision, any bowler who bowled more than one beamer had to be taken out of the attack, irrespective of speed or height.

In 2018, the amended law made the process of calling a beamer “dangerous” subjective.

Harshal was saved by this law change in 2021, as his first beamer was bowled outside leg-stump, which didn’t qualify as being dangerous to the batter.

However, each of the beamers in the 20th over on Monday, against CSK, was considered dangerous for the batter, and consequently led to him being forced out of the attack.

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