Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) emerged victorious in a nail-biting finish against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, registering a thrilling one-run victory. The match witnessed an intense battle, with RR needing just 20 runs off the last two overs to secure their ninth win of the league.
Skipper Pat Cummins bowled a tight 19th over, dismissing Dhruv Jurel, but Powell hit a six off the final ball, reducing the deficit to 13 runs required in the final over.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar took charge of the final over, delivering a skillful blend of deliveries that kept the RR batsmen at bay. With two runs needed off the final ball, Kumar bowled a full and straight delivery to Powell, resulting in an LBW decision that sealed the dramatic win for SRH.
ICC regulations, as outlined in Appendix D of the playing conditions, state that the ball becomes dead once the umpire signals an out decision. This rule remained applicable even if Powell’s review had been successful.
The match has sparked a discussion about potential rule changes to address such scenarios. Former South African pacer Dale Steyn has proposed implementing rules similar to baseball, where the ball is considered live until play stops. This would allow the batting team to continue running and the bowling team to continue fielding even after an LBW or caught off no-ball decision, with the outcome being addressed after the play has concluded.
