New Delhi: Kings XI spilled some of the easiest catches and their bankable bowlers were off target on Sunday night. As a result their play-off chances took a beating, Gujarat chased down the 190-run target with ease. But were the drop catches and wayward bowling the only reasons for their sorry tale? Perhaps not. The seeds were sown in fifth over the of Gujarat innings.
Sandeep Sharma, usually a calm and cool figure, lost his composure and got involved in an ugly brawl with the on-field umpires which would not make him proud once he sees it later on. The intensity of the argument sapped Kings XI captain Glenn Maxwell in it. Maxwell took it to another level and the bitterness of it acted as a repulsive force for the team.
All of this took place when Sandeep was in the middle of his third over and the fifth of the Gujarat innings. The right-arm seamer apparently did not inform the umpire when he decided to come around the wicket while bowling to Ishan Kishan. As bizarre as it may sound, the umpire signaled a No ball on the next delivery. A furious Sandeep immediately burst in a heated argument with the umpire. Video footage revealed that Sandeep did his wave his arm before switching sides but it was not clear whether the umpire saw it or not. No-striker Dwayne Smith also did not switch ends.
Captain Maxwell ran in from long on to fuel the argument further. The brawl continued till the next over. Maxwell was visibly annoyed and he had no intentions to hide it.
Maxwell later on confirmed that it did not affect their on-field performance but it was evident not only in his behavior but the entire team’s performance.