The IPL 2025 opener between the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ignited sparks on March 22, 2025, at Eden Gardens, showcasing both phenomenal cricket and controversy. Amongst the crowd's roars and the players' determination, a key moment arose that left everyone questioning how the laws of the game would unfold.
RCB began the match like a house on fire, taking Quinton de Kock's wicket in the very first over, placing KKR in a tough position early on. However, Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine quickly shifted the match's momentum. The duo stunned spectators with a ferocious partnership of 103 runs, breathing life into KKR's innings until a moment of contention arose in the seventh over.
During a delivery from RCB’s Rasikh Salam, Narine attempted a pull shot for a short ball that sailed above him. He narrowly missed the delivery but, in the follow-through, his bat inadvertently clipped the stumps, causing the bails to fly off. The square-leg umpire declared the delivery a wide due to its excessive height, which sparked an intense debate among players and fans alike regarding whether Narine should have been given out for hit-wicket.
Despite immediate discussions among the RCB team to appeal, led by Rajat Patidar who was seen urging his teammates, the umpire ruled that the ball was dead. RCB's Tim David appeared keen for the appeal as well, but it ultimately fell on deaf ears. The post-match analysis confirmed the decision rested on one pivotal fact: since the umpire had already declared the ball a wide, the action that followed had no bearing on play, according to the laws of cricket.
According to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) rule 35.1.1, a batsman can only be declared out hit-wicket if the wicket is broken while the ball is in play. Since the wide call eliminated any potential for a hit-wicket dismissal as the ball was no longer considered live, Narine was safe and continued to contribute significantly to KKR's score.
This moment didn’t go unnoticed, with RCB players visibly frustrated, especially as Virat Kohli, standing at first slip, noted the bails had come off their grooves. "Bails kaise gire? (How did the bails fall?)," he was heard asking wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma, who shrugged, replying, "Pata nahi. Mera dhyan nahi thha, ball dekh raha tha (I don’t know, I was looking at the ball)." The mix-up added another layer of intrigue to the match’s narrative.
Following the controversy, Narine went on to score 44 runs off just 26 balls, a crucial contribution that laid the foundation for KKR’s final total of 174 runs after 20 overs. Ajinkya Rahane joined Narine with a calculated knock of 56 runs off 31 balls, showcasing impressive aggression that momentarily restored KKR’s position after their faltering start.
However, the match shifted again when RCB's Krunal Pandya shone brightly, taking three vital wickets. The KKR innings took a downward spiral following Narine and Rahane's dismissals, with their middle order collapsing under pressure. Players like Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh could not make significant contributions, managing only 23 runs in the final overs.
Despite RCB's late resurgence, the day belonged to KKR who had firm control over the match’s narrative until the end. Josh Hazlewood excelled with the ball for RCB, concluding with figures of 2/22 over his four overs, ensuring the match stayed competitive.
The IPL 2025 opener, filled with exhilarating moments and contentious decisions, served as a reminder of cricket’s unpredictable nature, where the toughest laws might just be a matter of timing and interpretation. Fans eagerly await the rest of the tournament, where these stories will become part of a much larger narrative. The drama surrounding Sunil Narine’s near-dismissal highlights how nuanced and controversial cricket can be, preserving its charm and unpredictability.
