In an enthralling Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 encounter, the Kolkata Knight Riders emerged victorious over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru by a narrow margin of one run. Despite setting a target of 223, the KKR bowlers held firm to secure the win.
However, a contentious dismissal of former RCB captain Virat Kohli has sparked significant debate. Kohli was dismissed in the third over while attempting to evade a full toss delivery from Kolkata’s Harshit Rana. The ball struck Kohli at an awkward height, prompting him to signal for a DRS review.
To the astonishment of many, the on-field umpires referred the decision to the third umpire, who adjudged it a legal delivery and a fair catch. Kohli engaged in a heated discussion with the umpires before leaving the field, visibly frustrated.
Numerous former players have since expressed their support for Kohli and called for greater clarity regarding the height rule. Mohammad Kaif, a former India batter, has been particularly vocal in his criticism of the decision.
In a post on social media, Kaif described the ruling as “disappointing” and argued that Kohli had fallen to an unprecedented mode of dismissal. He emphasized that batters have limited control over deliveries that come at such an awkward height.
Kaif further expressed his belief that Rana should apologize to Kohli for the delivery and that it should have been deemed a no-ball. He stressed that Kohli’s dismissal was a grave error.
The incident has also drawn attention to the fact that Kohli has been fined 50 percent of his match fee for his outburst following the dismissal. The IPL has stated that Kohli committed a Level 1 offense for breaching the Code of Conduct.
The controversial dismissal has ignited a wider discussion about the need for clearer guidelines regarding the height rule and the appropriate response from batters when faced with such deliveries.
