Raghuvanshi fined after 'aggressive' response to obstructing-the-field decision

Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been fined 20% of his match fee and handed one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the IPL Code of Conduct during Kolkata Knight Riders's match against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Sunday.

The sanction followed Raghuvanshi's '"aggressive" response to a controversial obstructing-the-field dismissal in the fifth over. An appeal was referred upstairs by on-field umpires Keyur Kelkar and Abhijeet Bengeri after Mohammed Shami's throw from mid-on struck Raghuvanshi as he dived back at the striker's end. TV umpire Rohan Pandit ruled that Raghuvanshi had significantly "changed his direction" while returning to the crease and upheld the appeal.

Raghuvanshi then engaged in an extended discussion with the umpires in the middle, seemingly gesturing that he needed room to turn back and could not have made a sharp 180-degree turn on the same line after aborting his run. On his way back to the pavilion, he struck the boundary cushion with his bat and flung his helmet away in frustration, while KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar was also seen in an animated conversation with the fourth umpire.

Cricbuzz's ball-by-ball commentary described the moment like this:

A length delivery by Prince Yadav and Angkrish Raghuvanshi nudges it towards mid-on. He sets off for a single, but Green sends him back. The throw came in at the batter's end who got back in with a dive. The throw also hit Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Shami is appealing for an obstructing the field dismissal. The on-field umpire takes it upstairs and the third umpire is having a look at the replays. He reckons the batsman has changed his direction and the third umpire reckons he's out - obstructing the field. The KKR camp isn't pleased. They are surprised at the verdict. Raghuvanshi looks disappointed too as he walks back to the pavilion. He smashes hit bat on the floor and throws away his helmet in frustration. That will go down as a controversial decision. Things going from bad to worse for KKR. They are three down within the powerplay. Abhishek Nayar is still arguing with the fourth umpire. He is having an animated chat.

Article 37.1.4 of playing conditions for IPL 2026 says: "For the avoidance of doubt, if an umpire feels that a batter, in running between the wickets, has significantly changed his direction without probable cause and thereby obstructed a fielder's attempt to effect a run out, the batter should, on appeal, be given out, obstructing the field. It shall not be relevant whether a run out would have occurred or not."

Article 37.2 further states: "A batter shall not be out Obstructing the field if obstruction or distraction is accidental, or obstruction is in order to avoid injury, or in the case of the striker, he makes a second or subsequent strike to guard his wicket lawfully."

The verdict, however, did not convince everyone.

"I didn't agree with the decision," Shaun Pollock said on . "When you are running and someone says no, you try and amble around to make your way back.

"He was waiting to see where the ball is coming from, then he put his head down and he's looking to dive and make his ground. It wasn't even close to the stumps, I didn't agree with it.

"Once he's turned, if he started running back to the stumps, like at the line of the stumps to shield it... but if you look at his path, he ran straight. When he dived, he is actually, I think, off the pitch. It's just the angle that the ball is coming from that has caught him. But he's running straight, he's not changing his line to get in line with the stumps. And sometimes people change the line to get out of the way of the ball to avoid being hit. I don't think there was intent there.

"For me, the telltale sign when you watch the replay - and people will go and watch it - is Rishabh Pant. He doesn't get excited, he doesn't put his hands in the air, doesn't appeal. He's not thinking it was out."

Virender Sehwag called it a "harsh decision" on .

The IPL, meanwhile, penalised Raghuvanshi under Article 2.2 of its Code of Conduct, which deals with "abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a Match."

In its media advisory, the IPL noted that Raghuvanshi "struck the boundary cushion with his bat in an aggressive manner and subsequently threw his helmet into the dugout in a similar manner."

Raghuvanshi admitted to the offence and accepted the referee Javagal Srinath's sanction.