Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players'Wouldn't have happened if Ponting was there': Former India, England captains furious with Pant's 'bad sportsman spirit'
IPL 2022: Rishabh Pant was furious over on-field umpires not checking for a possible waist-high delivery against Rovman Powell.
Jos Buttler notched up his third hundred of the ongoing IPL season to power Rajasthan Royals to a 15-run win over Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday. While the Englishman made headlines for his 65-ball 116 that was laced with nine fours and as many sixes, opposition skipper Rishabh Pant lost his cool in the last few minutes of the contest. (Follow IPL 2022 Coverage)
The Delhi captain was furious over on-field umpires not checking for a possible waist-high delivery. A visibily upset Pant even gestured his batters to come out, while assistant coach Shane Watson tried to mediate. One of the Delhi Capitals' coaches Pravin Amre went into the playing arena but was told to go back by the on-field umpires.
Pant was at the receiving end of flak from former players including Kevin Pietersen, who labelled the wicketkeeper-batter's behaviour "unacceptable". The former English batter also said that head coach Ricky Ponting's presence in the dugout would have made a difference. Buttler was also seen having words with Pant near the boundary rope.
Watch: Major Controversy as Pant calls DC batters back, sends coach to argue with umpires
Ponting missed the game after a member of his family contracted Covid-19. The Australian great tested negative in two tests since his family member, who was a close contact became infected.
"The way Rishabh Pant was thinking about the game... that's more concerning to me than the umpire's call. I think that wouldn't have happened at all if Ricky Ponting was there. Jos Buttler had every right to walk over to Rishabh Pant and say, 'What on earth are you doing?' For them to send one of their coaches to the field and think that it was correct behaviour... we play the gentleman's game. People make mistakes. How many times have we nicked off or not nicked off to be given out. We have been given out lbw when it wasn't out," Pietersen told host broadcaster after the game.
"Myself and Swanny (Graeme Swann) have had long careers and when you see stuff like this, it's not good for the game of cricket. It's not good at all. That was a huge huge mistake. But I think the biggest mistake is the coach running on to the field to talk to the umpire. He (coach) is a senior figure. Pant even wanted to call it off. It was unaccaptable and I hope to never see that in the game of cricket. That's not why we play cricket and that's not how you're supposed to play cricket," he further added.
Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin called Pant's action ‘bad sportsman spirit.’
“Bad sportsman spirit on display by #DelhiCapitals. Cricket is a game of gentlemen and this behaviour is completely unacceptable,” tweeted Azharuddin.
Pant's animated reaction came after Rovman Powell hit three successive sixes from the first three deliveries off Obed McCoy, briging down the equation to 18 runs needed off last three balls. The game resumed after an unforseen delay and Rajasthan went on to record a 15-run win.
