Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
While the game of cricket is played on a strip of 22 yards, it often comes down to the some crucial moments that decide the fate of the match. When so much is at stake and so little margin for error, cricketers often tend to wear one's heart on one's sleeve. A heated exchange took place between the Delhi Capital and Kolkata Knight Riders players during the 20th over of the Delhi innings in the ongoing match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
After Ashwin hit the first ball of the final over being bowled by Tim Southee straight to the deep square leg fielder and was out caught while looking for a boundary, the bowler and the outgoing batter seemed to share a few words which did not seem to be very pleasant. When it looked like the confrontation was over and Ashwin would be taking the walk back to the dugout, even Kolkata skipper Eoin Morgan joined in and had a few words to say to Ashwin.
Although there is no clarity yet as to what exactly they were sharing, Dinesh Karthik had to intervene between Morgan and Karthik. The verbal exchange was probably about the run Capitals had completed when the ball had hit Pant's arm. Notably, in the last ball of the 19th over, the fielder at point had thrown the ball at the bowler's end but it had hit Pant's arm and rolled over which allowed them to come back for the second.
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Although the run could be questioned as per the "spirit of the game," it was perfectly within the laws of the sport.
Ashwin has also been upfront on his stance at the run out at the non-strikers' end when the batter backs up too far. He has in fact already affected a run-out like that while playing for the Punjab Kings against Rajasthan Royals. The victim, at that time, was Rajasthan's Jos Buttler.
Meanwhile, Ashwin has been included in the 15-member T20 World Cup squad for India. He last played a white-ball game for India in 2017 and following his impressive stints in IPL year after year and his form in red-ball cricket, he has knocked down the doors of the selectors to grab this place.