The IPL 2023 season was possibly the most watched in the tournament’s history. It was due to a number of thrilling games that went right down to last over. However, it was not always the cricket that lured fans in.
There have been some contentious incidents throughout the IPL 2023 season that have sparked debate among fans. These disputes were also influenced by the heat of the moment and the atmosphere of the game.
These are the three most controversial moments in IPL 2023:
3) MS Dhoni’s discussion with the umpires
During the Qualifier 1 match of IPL 2023 against the Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni was involved in a controversial incident with the umpires. The game was hampered by an unpleasant incident in the 15th over of the second innings. The CSK captain was spotted having an intense debate with the umpires, with other players joining in.
Matheesha Pathirana, who had been allocated to bowl the over, was ineligible since he had been off the field for some time. However, because the conversation lasted more than four minutes, the Sri Lankan bowler had surpassed the time limit, allowing him to be involved with the ball after his brief absence.
CSK had to keep an additional fielder inside the circle during the last two overs due to the sluggish over rate. Pathirana bowled his four overs, and they won by 15 runs. Some fans questioned how the umpires allowed theMS Dhoni to just stall the game.
2) Nut and Bolt incident
Sunrisers Hyderabad faced the Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL match that was crucial for both teams in the qualify for the playoffs. The hosts got a number of unfavorable umpiring rulings, including wides and no balls.
The home crowd got agitated and angry, and one section began hurling nuts and bolts towards the LSG dugout. Prerak Mankad was hit in the head, forcing the game to be halted for a few minutes.
Lucknow won the game, and their celebration demonstrated how fired up they were following the tragedy. The SRH audience was scrutinised for this truly awful behaviour, which posed a threat to the players’ safety.
1) The Virat and Naveen/Gambhir face off
LSG were involved in yet another controversy, this time with the RCB. RCB lost the game against LSG at home on the last ball. The celebration from the players and coach Gautam Gambhir did not sit well with Virat Kohli.
The former RCB captain was pumped up after Bangalore defeated Lucknow in the reverse fixture and involved in a heated dispute with LSG pacer Naveen-ul-Haq during the game. Even after the game, they had another heated confrontation, which escalated to a larger brawl including Gambhir as well.
The intense post game discussions had a lasting impact, as Naveen posted a cryptic Instagram story after RCB’s elimination from the tournament. It is still perhaps the most discussed controversy from IPL 2023.
