On Sunday, IPL 2023 witnessed another nail-biting finish as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) emerged victorious against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an IPL match that saw an unexpected twist.
Sandeep Sharma’s no-ball on the last delivery of the game allowed SRH batter Abdul Samad to snatch a win from the jaws of defeat. Samad smashed a six, leaving Twitter users stunned at the tu✃rn of events.
Term ‘Fixing’ trended on the micro-blogging website for several hours.
SRH were given a mammoth target o𒁏f 215 by the Royals. The match came down to the wire, with Samad on strike and RR needing five runs to win.
In a bid to choke Samad, RR seamer Sandeepꦛ delivered ꦇan angled yorker round the stumps, and Samad could only manage to hit it as far as Jos Buttler at long-off for an easy catch.
The home crowd and Rajasthan players started celebrating, thinking they had secured a win. However, the noise was short-lived as the hooter signalling no-ball went off soon after, leaving the crowd ♚in disbelief. Sharma also staཧred at the umpire, seeking an explanation.
The replay confirmed that Sharma had bowled a big no-ball, giving Samad a lifeline. Samad💞 kept the strike fo🉐r the free hit, and Sharma went for another yorker round the stump. But this time, he missed the line, allowing Samad to hit a straight six over long-on and seal the game for SRH.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
It's a Not a NO Ball its a fixing ball
— ✨ (@oye_arhan)
RR = match Fixing 🤡
— Vᴀɴsʜ🔸 (@Virat_Prime)
Sandeep Sharma won’t be able to sleep tonight.
Rajꦉasthan wܫill never forget this no ball Fixing Abdul Samad Sunrisers Hyderabad
— Mala Sinha (@malasinhabjp)
If Match fixing had a face.
All Co-incidence happens in
— AMIT K PATHANIA (@AMITKPATHANIA1)
The batsman got out on last ball! But wait it was a no ball, then a six on the free hit 😂😂😂
Kisi ko kya hi pta chalega ki fixing hui hai 😂— Mr. Nikhil Chawla (@MrNikhilChawla)
DR. Fixing
— व𝐬𝐮ली 🇮🇳 (@Vasooli_4)
Fixing 😂
— RAJENDRA SINGH 🦁 (@Awesome__Ladka)
What a scripted game in
Missed easy runouts
Dropping Easy catches
And No ball on last deliveryFixing and scripted games everywhere in
— Cricket Insider (@theDcricket)
//twitter.com/IꦿtsHiteshKumar/status👍/1655276005781815296
Poora IPL Fix rehta h 🌃aap ek ball ki baat kar rahe h , Mere pa🎃as multiple proofs hain
— Aviral Srivastava🚩 (@AviralSri67)
Stay away from fixing!!!
No Ball— HD Mitra 🇮🇳 (@HD_____mitra)
Everyone to Jay Shah 😂
Match fixed 👀
ipL full scripted— 🇵🇰 انجینئر حماد🍁 (@HeArt_StoLeN8)
Glenn Phillips was named the ‘Player of the Match’ for his crucial 7-ball 25, which helped SRH stage a comeback after leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal’s four-wicket spell put RR in the driver’s seat. The match will be remembered for the dramatic turn of events that led to SRH’s unlikely victory.
