IPL 2019 | We are not playing club cricket, says Virat Kohli
Expressing his displeasure over the umpireâs decision of not signalling a no-ball in the final delivery of last night's nail-biting game, Virat Kohli has stated that the teams are not playing club cricket. Rohit Sharma was also not very pleased and suggested the umpires to rectify their mistakes.
Virat Kohliâs Royal Challengers Bangalore required 17 in the final over of the match which was bowled by Mumbai Indians' Lasith Malinga. Shivam Dubeâs maximum in the first ball and a single in the next four balls meant that RCB would require 7 off the last ball. The RCB camp sank when Dube could only manage one of the final delivery, but the replays showed that Malinga had bowled a no ball, which sent shockwaves into the crowd, and left Kohli fuming.
âWe are playing at the IPL level and not playing club cricket. The umpires should have had their eyes open. That is a ridiculous call (last ball). If it is a game of margins, I donât know what is happening. They should have been more sharp and careful out there,â expressed Virat Kohli, in the post match presentation.
The Gary Kirsten-coached team looked in good stead in the pursuit of their target of 188 as Kohli and AB de Villiers were scoring at a good rate. They required 75 off 42 to win the match when the MI skipper Rohit Sharma brought in the usual suspect Jasprit Bumrah who managed to clinch Kohliâs wicket as he looked to take him on. De Villiers hit some big shots
"A few more strikes apart from AB could have done the job for us. We need to be smarter at death bowling. Sure
The Bengaluru-based franchise had put Mumbai Indians to bat and after a flourishing start from the openers with 52 runs in the powerplay, the Mahela Jayawardene-coached team lost steam to slip to 147/7 in the start of the 18th over. However, Hardik Pandya came to the teamâs rescue as he smashed 32 runs off 14 balls, which even included three towering sixes off Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj, which took the teamâs total to a challenging 187.
âWhen they were 145 (147) for 7, we should have done better. The last few overs were brutal for us,â said Kohli.
"I think the way they bowled, we can learn from their game. The onus is always on each and every member of the team. I got out at a wrong point
Rohit Sharma was also very critical of the umpires and did not fail to point out towards a harsh wide decision in the 19th over which was also Bumrahâs final over. The ball had started from the wide line but had slid in later after gripping the pitch.
âI just got to know when we crossed the rope. Somebody just told me it was a no-ball. These kind of mistakes are not good for the game of cricket, itâs pretty simple, the over before that. Bumrah bowled a ball which wasnât a wide ball. Those are game-changers. Thereâs a TV up there, they have to watch whatâs happening. It is as simple as it is. Players canât do much. The only thing they can do is walk off and shake hands because it was the last ball. Itâs disappointing to see that. I hope they rectify their mistakes like we do when we make mistakes,â signed off Sharma.
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