The Maharaja T20 Trophy witnessed a comical drama on the evening of August 20, as the match became a source of amusement rather than competition. This incident involved none other than Virat Kohli’s RCB teammate, Vishak Vijaykumar, who played for the Gulbarga Mystics. Faced with the fear of losing, Vijaykumar resorted to every trick in the book to have the match canceled, thus managing to achieve his goal. His captain, Devdutt Padikkal, also played a significant role in this drama by continuously pressuring the umpires.
Drama Unfolds in LIVE Match
The match featured Gulbarga Mystics against the Mangalore Dragons and was heavily affected by rain. Umpires were doing everything possible to complete the match and reach a conclusive result. However, the plot thickened when Gulbarga Mystics captain Devdutt Padikkal collaborated with Vijaykumar to create a credible distraction.
After the Rain Break: More Drama than Cricket
The pivotal moment came after the rain break when the match resumed. The Gulbarga Mystics batted first, scoring 169 runs in their allotted 20 overs. A rain delay led the umpires to reduce the Mangalore Dragons’ target to 61 runs in just 7 overs. Remarkably, the Dragons had already scored 46 runs without losing a wicket in just 4.3 overs before the rain interruption. This meant they needed only 15 runs from the remaining 15 balls to secure victory.
Pressure Tactics on Umpires
As the match resumed, it became increasingly clear to the Gulbarga Mystics that defeat loomed on the horizon. Instead of accepting their fate, they began to create a scene, pressuring the umpires. During this time, Vijaykumar and Padikkal engaged in lengthy discussions with the officials to argue that the field conditions were unplayable. In response, the umpires attempted to mitigate the issue by laying mats on the wet areas of the field.
Vijaykumar’s Dramatic Fall
When their attempts to sway the umpires proved ineffective, Vijaykumar took his theatrics to another level by falling three times during a single over. While the first two falls didn’t capture much attention, the third time, he clutched his toe and sat on the field, appearing seriously injured. This prompted Captain Devdutt Padikkal to rush to the umpires and argue for the match to be declared unplayable due to the condition of the ground. In the end, the umpires, who were initially determined to continue the match, felt compelled to suspend play altogether.
A Result Left Unfinished
This unforeseen outcome resulted in a match that could have concluded decisively ending in a stalemate instead. While this ruling may have favored Gulbarga Mystics by allowing them to avoid a loss, the Mangalore Dragons’ camp expressed their disappointment with the situation.
Social Media Reactions
This is comedy shit going on in Maharaja.
Rained for a while, Mangalore had a great chance in the game 46/0 in 4.2 ov chasing 170.
Umpires desperate to have a result so they even kept 3-4 mats on patchy areas. devdutt argued outfield is shit, we can’t play. Later Vyshak argued.— arfan (@Im__Arfan) August 20, 2024
The incident sparked widespread discussion about sportsmanship and ethical conduct in cricket, highlighting the lengths to which some players might go to avoid defeat.
