Snapshots: Clueless Pant and Jadeja's rocket arm

No so ethical, Mr. Karthik

Off the last ball of the 13th over, Corey Anderson pulled his length back a touch and cramped Dinesh Karthik for room. The right-hander tried to pull the ball but failed to connect and the ball took a good chunk of the thigh pad on his way to the wicketkeeper. Soon after, Karthik turned around and lifted his arm over to signal to the umpire that he had made no contact with the ball. Yeshwant Barde, the umpire who missed the ball clipping the pad, proceeded to signal a wide.

Rishabh Pant, the bowler and Simon Doull, the commentator, were clearly not impressed with Karthik's action. "That's just not sportsman spirit," remarked Doull on air and rightly so.

Then again on the first ball of the 16th over, Karthik was seen questioning the umpire. He had tucked the ball towards square leg and had take a couple. The umpire ruled one short, which the replays confirmed, but Karthik was seen pointing to the umpire that he had plonked his bat over the line at the non-striker's end.

One too many ...

Gujarat Lions had made a good start and were 46 for 1 in the final of the powerplay. However, soon after that they were 56 for 3 with their top 3 - Dwayne Smith, Suresh Raina and Ishan Kishan - back in the hut. Restraint was something the top order could have shown at the start. Off the fourth ball of the sixth over, Raina made room and smashed a Pat Cummins over point to collect a boundary. The very next ball he tried the same thing but the bowler bowled it much fuller and bowled Raina. Same was the case with Kishan. Off the second ball of the seventh over from Amit Mishra, Kishan picked the wrong 'un and swept it fine for a boundary. Off the very next ball, he against picked the wrong 'un but this time top edged it to the short-fine fielder to throw away his wicket after a 25-ball 34.

After a solid start, all that was needed was some sensible batting. However, what they got from Raina and Kishan was recklessness.

Walk in the park

In the final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup against West Indies, Pant was stumped off a pacer with the 'keeper standing way behind. The left-hander was taking the stance outside the crease and had left the ball but was lazy in coming back. Tevin Imlach, the wicketkeeper, saw Pant ambling outside the crease and was quick to dislodge the bails, sending the batsman back even before he could settle in.

On Wednesday (May 10), something similar transpired at the Green Park with Pant involved once again. Sangwan had struck Pant on the pads and the ball had deflected towards Raina in the slips. Pant immediately took his hand up refusing the single but not realising he was outside the crease. Raina got a direct hit in to run Pant out for just 4.

You just don't take on Jadeja's arm

One of the reasons Delhi Daredevils were struggling in the middle overs was Ravindra Jadeja. It wasn't his bowling that tied them down. But, it was his fielding. He got in direct hits from point to run out Marlon Samuels and Anderson to leave the visitors at 104 for 5. What has been most impressive has been his accuracy. He brought his team back in the contest in the game against Mumbai Indians that ended in a tie and here, in Kanpur, dented the opposition with some exception display on the field.

Security breach

In the fourth over of the chase, a fan ran onto the field trying to get close to Suresh Raina. He was, however, stopped by the umpire before he could meet his idol. What was surprising, and in a way nice to see, is that the fan was ready to leave on the first request made to him. Traditionally, the fans try to run around try to get close to the players but this lad walked off even before the security could run into the field of play.