The 34th match of the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League is in the history books. It was an unforgettable game for the fans who watched it live because Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant did something that is not seen so often in the IPL history. He called his players back when the umpires did not call a waist-high full-toss a no-ball in the 20th over of the DC innings.
DC skipper Rishabh Pant won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Delhi-based franchise had a forgettable day with the ball. The likes of Mustafizur Rahman, Khaleel Ahmed, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav could not keep a check on the run-flow as the Rajasthan Royals ended with 222/2 on the board in their 20 overs.
Chasing 223 runs to win their second match in the space of three days, DC got off to a decent start with David Warner and Prithvi Shaw having a good opening partnership. Even captain Pant played a decent knock of 44 runs. The equation came down to 36 runs off two overs in the end, with Lalit Yadav and hard-hitter Rovman Powell in the middle.
Prasidh Krishna then bowled a maiden over and took the wicket of Lalit Yadav as the equation came down to 36 runs off six balls. It seemed improbable but Rovman Powell smashed three sixes off three balls against Obed McCoy. Suddenly, it seemed gettable.
However, the third ball seemed like a waist-high full-toss, which was not called a no-ball by the on-field umpires. Delhi Capitals could not believe that, and they argued with the match officials. Rishabh Pant lost his cool and called his players back.
Twitterati has mixed reactions to Rishabh Pant calling his players back in DC vs RR match
DC went on to lose the match by 15 runs. Here’s how fans on Twitter reacted to Pant’s decision to ask his players to come back:
Just came back home watching KGF and looks like Pant's about to start chapter 3 on the pitch.
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) April 22, 2022
Ricky ponting watching Rishabh Pant teach umpiring to umpires pic.twitter.com/sZx7Cb91sc
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) April 22, 2022
Umpires not given No-ball, Rishabh Pant calling their players back. pic.twitter.com/inpP1pPfwr
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) April 22, 2022
Pant calling back Rovman Powell and Kuldeep Yadav but umpires denied.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 22, 2022
C'mon Pant, do a Dhoni. pic.twitter.com/W4rIqx6A0d
— Manya (@CSKian716) April 22, 2022
Rishabh Pant is calling his batsmen back because the umpires are not checking the no ball #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/AMRYbgm6qx
— India Fantasy (@india_fantasy) April 22, 2022
It was Powell all over Mccoy but then mastermind Pant decided to delay the game a bit & shifted the momentum for RR 😂😂
— Yash ˢ ᵘ ⁿ ᴿ ᶦ ˢ ᵉ ᴿ ˢ 😊🏏 (@YashR066) April 22, 2022
Heated exchange between Pant and Buttler, very bizzare finish #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/Sp4FvccPNJ
— India Fantasy (@india_fantasy) April 22, 2022
No Pant, MS was wrong to walk onto the field vs RR too. You cannot call the players back and can't send anyone onto the field.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) April 22, 2022
Rishabh Pant absolutely fuming. Was a no-ball by the looks of it.#IPL2022
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) April 22, 2022
