Buttler was going all guns blazing, making a mockery of the 185-run target set by the visitors Kings XI, when Ashwin affected Mankad to stop Buttler on his tracks. This was the first instance of Mankad in the history of IPL.
Several former and present cricketers have reacted to the controversy in their own ways but surprisingly England Test pace spearhead James Anderson came up with an absolute shocking gesture. England’s leading wicket-taker in Tests was seen shredding Ashwin’s picture in a recent video which is going viral on social media. While there was one section that found it funny, others were quite angry with Anderson’s action.
The incident happened in the final ball of the 13th over when Ashwin stopped on his delivery stride seeing Buttler backing up too much and nonchalantly whipped the bails off at the non-striker’s end. What initially seemed a gesture to caution Buttler to remain in his crease soon turned otherwise when the off-spinner appealed and the on-field umpires had no choice but to refer it upstairs.
Replays confirmed that Buttler was out of his crease when the bails were taken off and he was naturally given out. The England keeper was not amused by the ‘unsportsmanlike’ attitude of Ashwin and was furious while walking back for 69 off 43 balls.