IPL 2023: Ben Stokes suggests massive rule change to eliminate controversy after Harshal Patel's missed run-out attempt at non-striker's end

In a T20 game for the ages, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered an agonising one-wicket defeat against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Monday (April 10).

SportsTak

• Tue • 11 Apr 2023

In a T20 game for the ages, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) suffered an agonising one-wicket defeat against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Monday (April 10). Unprecedented drama unraveled in Bengaluru on Monday, especially in the final over of the match with LSG needing five runs off it to secure a win.

Chasing 213, LSG's middle-order batter Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran smashed quickfire half-centuries to take their side close to the required total. But then, the wicket of Pooran off Mohammed Siraj's bowling completely turned the tide and in the end, they needed to score five off Harshal Patel's final over of the match.

Harshal Patel bowled a near-flawless over where he bagged the wickets of Mark Wood and Jaydev Unadkat. In the end, LSG needed a solitary run on the final ball of the match with just one wicket in hand. Harshal attempted to mankad the non-striker batter Ravi Bishnoi but failed in his attempt. He then got the batter run-out but it did not count.

After the game, England's Test captain and Chennai Super Kings' star all-rounder, Ben Stokes suggested a massive rule change, which according to him, will eliminate controversy from the game, especially when it comes to running out a batter at the non-striker's end.

"Umpires discretion.. 6 penalty runs if obviously trying to gain unfair advantage by leaving crease early? Would stop batters doing it without all the controversy," Stokes said in a Tweet.

The run-out at the non-striker's end, which is now considered legal, did not count on this occasion as the bowler can not run the batter on the non-striker's end if he has completed the bowling action. The bowler must be inside the crease or should not have completed the bowling action. But Harshal did not do that and instead, threw the ball onto the stumps from outside the crease after completing the bowling action. This is why he was denied the run-out.

Eventually, on the final ball of the match, Harshal beat Avesh but still took the run. Karthik didn't collect cleanly and Bishnoi was already halfway down. The fumble allowed Avesh to reach the other end as the duo began fierce celebrations after a hard-fought victory.