Though cricket is team game, at times the individual player battles that unfold on the field are so big in terms of magnitude that they manage to grab plenty of eyeballs and become a hot point of debate. Something similar unfolded in match no. 20 of the ongoing Indian Premier League between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals.
Chasing 175 to win in their allotted 20 overs, Delhi’s top order suffered a miserable collapse and seemed out of the contest as soon as the run chase began. But, it was their middle order batter Manish Pandey who tried to weather storm when he came to bat at the no. five position.
Batting in the 14th over against RCB’s premier overseas spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, Manish tried to get under his skin initially as he belted Hasaranga for a boundary, maximum and another boundary on three consecutive deliveries. Manish then pushed Hasaranga’s fifth delivery for a double on the on side and retained strike on the last ball of the over.
But to Delhi Capitals’ misery, Manish succumbed to Hasaranga on the last delivery of the over as he was trapped in front of the stumps. Manish missed the line of the ball altogether but the on-field umpire adjudged him not out. But Faf du Plessis wasn’t amused with the decision and decided to refer the on-field call. To RCB fans’ glee, the on-field call was overturned and Manish perished at an individual score of 50 off 38 balls.