During the IPL match on April 9, 2026, between the Lucknow Super Giants and the Kolkata Knight Riders, Mohammad Kaif criticized the umpiring decision regarding a controversial catch taken by LSG's Digvesh Rathi. The incident took place in the second over of the KKR innings. Finn Allen top-edged a delivery from LSG's Prince Yadav toward the third-man boundary. Digvesh Rathi, positioned near the rope, sprinted and initially misjudged the ball but managed to recover and take the catch right at the edge of the boundary.

While commentating in Hindi, Mohammad Kaif repeatedly called the decision a major blunder.Kaif criticized the third umpire for reaching a hasty decision without examining all available camera angles.He argued that in the world’s biggest T20 league, despite multiple cameras and high-end technology, such errors remain unacceptable.Kaif insisted the ball should have been declared a six because replays appeared to show Rathi’s toe touching the boundary cushion as he completed the take.

"I have never seen such poor umpiring. It was clearly a six the boundary rope moved, and the fielder’s foot touched the boundary. The match goes on until midnight, so the umpire had more than enough time to check. There’s no point in making such big decisions in this way. Very poor umpiring, it was clearly a six”, the commentator said.

Allen, who is known for his aggressive powerplay hitting, was sent back for just 9 runs off 8 balls. Other pundits and former cricketers shared Kaif's view, noting that the advertisement cushion moved slightly upon Rathi's contact, which should have resulted in a "not out" call.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Ajinkya Rahane stabilise innings for KKR

In the IPL 2026 match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are currently 99/1 after 10.1 overs against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). After being put into bat, KKR lost an early wicket but have since rebuilt their innings through a solid partnership. KKR's Finn Allen was dismissed for 9 runs in the second over, caught by Digvesh Rathi off the bowling of Prince Yadav. This catch sparked significant controversy, with commentators like Mohammad Kaif claiming Rathi's foot touched the boundary rope.

Following Allen's departure, captain Ajinkya Rahane and youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi stabilized the innings. They reached their 50-run partnership in the 8th over.