Controversy flared in the opening innings of the IPL 2026 clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium on Sunday. KKR batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi was ruled out for obstructing the field, sparking immediate fury from the dressing room and a heated reaction from the coaching staff.
At a glance
- Match: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants (IPL 2026)
- Venue: Ekana Stadium; day: Sunday
- Key call: Angkrish Raghuvanshi out for obstructing the field
- Where it happened: Final ball of the fifth over in the first innings
- After the decision: KKR lost three wickets in the powerplay for 31 runs
The turning point came on the last ball of the fifth over. Raghuvanshi nudged a length delivery from Prince Yadav towards mid-on and set off for a quick single. Cameron Green responded by sending him back at once, and Raghuvanshi stopped, reversed his run, and then dived back towards the crease as the throw came in at the striker’s end.
The ball struck Raghuvanshi, and Mohammed Shami was the first LSG player to appeal for obstructing the field. The decision was referred to the third umpire after the on-field official sent it upstairs, and the replay verdict was that the batter had altered his direction, leading to the dismissal.
Chaos in the middle
The KKR dugout was left stunned by how quickly the incident unfolded. Even Raghuvanshi was seen confronting the match officials before he failed to make it back to the pavilion. Raghuvanshi’s frustration spilled over—he hit the bat against the ground and tossed his helmet—while Abhishek Nayar appeared visibly agitated as he spoke with the fourth umpire.
Raghuvanshi’s dismissal also carried an IPL stat that added to the shock. He became the fourth batter in the league’s history to be sent back for obstructing the field, following Yusuf Pathan (KKR vs Pune Warriors India, Ranchi, 2013), Amit Mishra (Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Vizag, 2019), and Ravindra Jadeja (CSK vs Rajasthan Royals, Chennai, 2024).
On the scoreboard, the wicket underlined KKR’s troubles in the powerplay. After that dismissal, the team suffered another harsh phase, losing three wickets for only 31 runs.
Earlier, Mohsin Khan had set the tone by striking twice in consecutive overs to remove the openers. Tim Siefert fell for a duck, and Ajinkya Rahane could manage just 10 from 15 deliveries before the innings was disrupted further by Raghuvanshi’s controversial call.
