Sunrisers Hyderabad's electrifying victory over Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024, fuelled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar's double-wicket over, is overshadowed by a contentious third umpire decision, stirring up controversy and social media debate.
In a thrilling encounter at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Sunrisers Hyderabad's pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered a stunning performance, claiming two wickets in the very first over, significantly denting Rajasthan Royals' pursuit of a formidable target of 202 runs.
Kavya Maran and entire Hyderabad can't stop clapping on excellent over of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. What an over! pic.twitter.com/hShrwxhBwY
— Mufa Kohli (@MufaKohli)Earlier in the match, Nitish Reddy showcased exceptional form, notching an unbeaten 76 runs off 42 deliveries, while Travis Head contributed a valuable 58 runs from 44 balls, guiding SRH to a commanding total of 201 for 3 in their allotted 20 overs. Additionally, Heinrich Klaasen's explosive cameo of 42 not out off 19 deliveries further bolstered SRH's innings. On the bowling front, Avesh Khan proved to be Rajasthan Royals' most effective bowler, clinching two wickets while conceding 39 runs in his four overs.
However, amidst the intense action, a controversial decision from the third umpire during the 15th over of the match stirred up considerable debate. The decision pertained to an appeal for stumping against Travis Head, with conflicting visuals depicting whether Head had grounded his bat in time. Despite conflicting evidence, the third umpire's verdict favoured SRH, sparking controversy and fuelling discussions across social media platforms.