India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has pointed to a perceived issue with the Decision Review System (DRS) after Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians played out a thrilling IPL contest at Dharamsala. The game swung sharply through the first innings, with Punjab looking dominant before the momentum flipped in the middle overs and then shifted back again near the end. Punjab’s early control was powered by an aggressive innings from Prabhsimran Singh, who struck a well-timed half-century and kept the pressure on with regular scoring. Yet Mumbai fought back during the later phases, taking wickets in clusters and putting Punjab under threat of falling short of a big total. In the end, Punjab steadied the innings with crucial late runs and pushed their total past the 200-run mark.
Ashwin’s concern was sparked by an event on the final ball of Punjab’s innings. Jasprit Bumrah hit Vishnu Vinod on the pads, and the on-field umpire initially ruled the batter out. After review, the decision was overturned, but Punjab were not credited with a leg-bye because the ball had already been declared dead. Ashwin later voiced his frustration about the rule on X, saying the outcome cost Punjab a run even though the on-field call was reversed.
The last-ball twist left Ashwin visibly upset, and he urged an immediate adjustment to how DRS reversals are handled in the IPL. “The wrong decision has cost Punjab a run, this rule needs to change ASAP! Just like how the ‘IMPACT SUB’ is an IPL rule, the DRS reversal should also be brought into the IPL even if the ICC delays it for some reason,” Ashwin wrote on X, tagging the teams involved in the match.
Punjab’s 200-plus after a mid-innings wobble
Prabhsimran gave Punjab Kings a bright start, striking 57 runs and keeping the tempo high during the powerplay. His intent ensured the innings stayed on the front foot, and the scoreboard moved quickly. However, the rhythm slipped when Shardul Thakur struck repeatedly in the middle overs. His spell of four wickets completely altered the contest, leaving Punjab reeling after they had looked set for a far larger total.
With the innings appearing to fade, Punjab’s lower order played a key role in the finishing stages. They launched an aggressive late surge in the death overs, enabling them to claw back momentum and post a competitive score of 200 for 8. Azmatullah Omarzai was central to the recovery, smashing 38 off 17 balls with two sixes and a boundary, while Vishnu Vinod and Xavier Bartlett also contributed late hitting to help Punjab reach the 200-run threshold.
