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Picture Credit: Twitter

The spat between Ravichandran Ashwin, Eoin Morgan, and Tim Southee has gone on to whole another level. Ashwin is once again being accused of breaking the ‘spirit of cricket’ by taking a run on a deflected throw. After everyone has spoken their bit about it, Ravi Ashwin has himself come to his defense explaining his actions and why he was right to take that extra run.

First, let’s recall what exactly happened. The incident took place during the 41st match of the IPL 2021 between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals. It was the 19th over of Delhi Capitals innings when Pant and Ashwin were at the crease trying hard to get their team to a decent total.

Pant played a shot and ran for a single but the throw from the fielder hit Pant’s arm and got deflected on which the batters completed another run. Morgan and Southee were probably disappointed at this and hence when Southee got Ashwin, he gave him a mouthful which the latter didn’t like. Morgan also chimed in and uttered a few words. However, Dinesh Karthik played the peacemaker and stopped things from going south.

The verbal spat might have ended on the ground but the debate about Ashwin’s action picked pace. Many former cricketers called it against the ‘spirit of cricket’, to which Ashwin has replied in his latest Tweet thread. In the first tweet, Ashwin narrated the incident and clarified that he had not seen that the ball had hit Pant’s arm. Moreover, he added that even if he had seen it, he was well within the rules to complete a run.

Have a look at Ashwin’s tweet here:

Play within the rules of the game and shake your hands once the game is over: Ashwin

Ashwin also lashed out at people criticizing him for his actions and said that they have already made a living or are doing what it takes to be successful elsewhere. “There are millions of cricketers with several thought processes that play this great game to make it their careers, teach them that an extra run taken due to a poor throw aimed to get you out can make your career and an extra yard stolen by the nonstriker can break your career,” he wrote.

“Do not confuse them by telling them that you will be termed a good person if you refuse the run or warn the nonstriker, because all these people who are terming you good or bad have already made a living or they are doing what it takes to be successful elsewhere,” he added.