The IPL 2023 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday was a perfect thriller. The game also involved late drama. With LSG needing one run to win off the final ball, Harshal Patel tried to run out Ravi Bishnoi at the non-striker end during his run-up. However, the bowler missed to clip off the bails at the right time and that saw Bishnoi survive. While the effort of Harshal went in vain, Ravichandran Ashwin lauded him for showing the "courage".
It is worth noting that the mode of dismissal is not taken well by many experts and fans of the game, and the players who effect it are often subjected to hate and criticism.
"He (Harshal) just tried and he missed it, right? One ball and one run to win, the non-striker is definitely going to run. I would stop every time and run a batter out if that is the situation. To be honest, I do not see what the problem with that is," Ashwin told reporters as quoted by DT Next.
Whatever you do within that (the laws of the sport), it is completely fair. In fact, I was just watching the game and I was telling my wife: 'He (Harshal) should run him (Bishnoi) out this ball'. I am very glad and so happy that a bowler had the courage to do it. I wish more bowlers do it."
Talking about the game, Harshal bowled a dot delivery on the last ball to Avesh Khan, but the LSG batters still managed to steal the match-winning single.