The highly entertaining clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2024 was marred by some questionable umpiring decisions that left RCB fans fuming. With a narrow margin of victory for KKR (just 1 run), these decisions have left a bitter taste in the mouth of RCB fans.
One of the major talking points was a boundary call. When Suyash Prabhudessai smashed a pull shot off Varun Chakravarthy, the ball appeared to have comfortably cleared the ropes in the fine leg region.
However, the on-field umpire, without consulting the third umpire, signaled a four, denying RCB two crucial runs. This decision, in a match decided by the narrowest of margins, could have potentially altered the outcome.
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Further fueling the fire was a close call on a no-ball by Sunil Narine. Replays suggested that the fiery KKR spinner might have overstepped the crease while dismissing Mahipal Lomror. However, the umpire gave Narine the benefit of the doubt, leaving RCB fuming.
Apart from this, RCB’s star batsman Virat Kohli was also involved in a controversial decision. The modern-day master was given caught and bowled off a Harshit Rana delivery which was a full toss close to his waist. While Kohli thought it was a no-ball, the umpires thought otherwise and declared him dismissed.
These incidents highlight the ongoing concerns about umpiring standards in the IPL. With matches often decided by fine margins, such errors can have a significant impact on the outcome.