There was a point in the innings in the 19th over as Jadeja got in the way of Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s throw at the stumps. SRH’s Heinrich Klaasen also looked like signalling that he might be obstructing the field. But SRH skipper Pat Cummins withdrew the appeal.

Obstruction Controversy

In the 19th over of the innings, Ravindra Jadeja obstructed Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s throw at the stumps, leading to a moment of controversy. However, SRH skipper Pat Cummins withdrew the appeal, sparking debates over sportsmanship and tactical decisions.

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Pat Cummins’ Tactical Decision

SRH captain Pat Cummins’ decision to withdraw the obstructing the field appeal raised questions about tactical calls and sportsmanship in cricket. Mohammad Kaif questioned whether the decision would have been the same if the batsman involved was someone like Virat Kohli.

Mohammad Kaif, however, said: “Two questions to Pat Cummins on withdrawing the obstructing the field appeal against Jadeja. Was it a tactical call to let a struggling Jadeja be the crease and keep Dhoni indoors? Would he have done the same if it was Virat Kohli at World T20?”

But some social media users praised Cummins for his stand too.

CSK Innings

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced a tough challenge against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as they could only manage to score 165/5 in their 20 overs. Despite several notable contributions, CSK struggled to accelerate their innings on a pitch that didn’t offer much assistance to the batsmen.

In-form Shivam Dube emerged as the top scorer for CSK with a blistering 24-ball 45. His aggressive batting style and ability to find the boundaries at crucial moments provided CSK with the much-needed momentum. The highlight of CSK’s innings was the 65-run partnership between Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane for the third wicket. Their aggressive yet calculated approach helped CSK build a competitive score on the board.

Ravindra Jadeja provided the much-needed impetus to CSK’s innings with an unbeaten 31 off 23 balls. His cameo at the end ensured that CSK reached a respectable total despite the middle-order collapse.

Sunrisers Hyderabad put up a collective bowling effort to contain CSK’s batting lineup. Bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pat Cummins, T Natarajan, Shahbaz Ahmed, and Jaydev Unadkat picked up crucial wickets to restrict CSK to a manageable total.

CSK’s batting struggles against SRH highlighted the challenges of adapting to different pitch conditions in the IPL. While individual performances like those of Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja provided hope, CSK will need to address their middle-order woes to ensure consistent performances in the tournament.

Reportedly Sri Lanka pacer Dushmantha Chameera has been named as a replacement for Gus Atkinson by Kolkata Knight Riders for their upcoming season in the Indian Premier League.

Chameera to replace Atkinson

As per an IPL statement, Chameera will join KKR at a reserve price of INR 50 Lakh. Chameera has played 12 IPL games so far and taken nine wickets at an economy rate of 8.73. He has been part of Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and most recently for Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 in the Indian Premier League.

“Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have named Dushmantha Chameera as a replacement for England pacer Gus Atkinson for the upcoming edition of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024,” the IPL release said.

“Chameera will join KKR at a reserve price of INR 50 Lakh. The Sri Lankan speedster, who is known for his pace, and can trouble the batters with his swing and seam movements, was a part of Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2018 and 2021 IPL seasons, respectively. He represented Lucknow Super Giants in the 2022 season, where he picked up nine wickets from 12 matches,” it further added.

What happened to Atkinson?

On the other hand, the 26-year-old pacer from England, Atkinson has withdrawn from the TATA IPL 2024 with the English Cricket Board managing his schedule. Atkinson was about to play his first IPL. After Atkinson’s withdrawal, apart from Chameera, Mitchell Starc is the only overseas frontline quick in the KKR squad. Kolkata Knight Riders bought Starc for a record price of Rs 24.75 crore.

While Chameera will be an additional strength for KKR, the Sri Lanka pacer is injured at this moment. However, according to Sri Lanka’s team manager Mahinda Halangoda, “He’s feeling better now, but we won’t know for sure the exact nature of his injury until we hear back from the specialist,”