Gavaskar Slams 'Obstructing Field' Dismissal in IPL 2026 Clash

The incident took place in the fifth over of KKR's innings after Raghuvanshi was given out for obstructing the field. Following the dismissal, he was seen striking the boundary cushion with his bat in frustration before throwing his helmet into the dugout.

The decision has triggered discussions around the interpretation of the "obstructing the field" rule, with differing opinions emerging on whether the batter's action constituted deliberate interference.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Gavaskar disagreed with the on-field decision and said the dismissal should not have stood based on the batter's intent and awareness at the moment.

"I think it's not out because when the ball came, and the batter dived, he was not looking at the ball. He was looking to make that dive," Gavaskar said.

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag also questioned whether Lucknow captain Rishabh Pant could have withdrawn the appeal, saying the dismissal may have been correct by law but harsh in the spirit of the game.

On Monday, Raghuvanshi was fined 20 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his side's match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Sunday night.

In an official statement from the IPL, it said Raghuvanshi was found guilty of a Level 1 offence under Article 2.2 of the Code of Conduct, which relates to "abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a match."

"Angkrish Raghuvanshi, batter and wicket-keeper, Kolkata Knight Riders, has been fined 20% of his match fee and has also accumulated one Demerit Point for breaching Level 1 of the IPL's Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials during Match No. 38 against Lucknow Super Giants," the IPL statement said.

"Raghuvanshi was found to have breached Article 2.2 of the IPL's Code of Conduct, which relates to "abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a Match." The incident occurred in the 5th over, when, after being given out for 'obstructing the field', Raghuvanshi struck the boundary cushion with his bat in an aggressive manner and subsequently threw his helmet into the dugout in a similar manner," the statement added.

Level 1 breaches carry penalties ranging from official reprimands to fines and demerit points, depending on the severity of the offence.

"Raghuvanshi admitted to the offence and accepted the Match Referee's sanction," the IPL statement concluded.

Coming to the match, KKR edged out LSG in a thrilling Super Over clash in IPL 2026 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Sunday night.

Chasing a tense finish, LSG needed seven off the final ball when Mohammed Shami launched a six over long-off to force the game into a Super Over.

Earlier, Mohsin Khan's sensational five-wicket haul (5/23) rocked KKR's top order, but Rinku Singh's brilliant unbeaten 83 off 51 balls, featuring seven fours and five sixes, sparked a remarkable recovery. His late onslaught, including four consecutive sixes in the final over, lifted KKR to a competitive 155/7.

In reply, KKR's bowlers combined effectively to keep LSG under pressure throughout, only for Shami's dramatic last-ball strike to push the contest into a nail-biting Super Over. Rinku was also named Player of the match for his superb fifty.

- ANI