The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) versus Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) match on Saturday, March 23, at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, delivered an electrifying showdown between two former champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR’s impressive total of 208/7 in 20 overs set the stage for a thrilling contest, with Heinrich Klaasen’s explosive batting keeping the visitors in contention till the final over.
During the penultimate over, Klaasen’s powerful six over deep mid-wicket off Mitchell Starc’s delivery garnered attention not just for its brilliance but also for the commentary that accompanied it. The Bhojpuri commentators’ choice of words during the description of the shot sparked controversy among cricket enthusiasts, who expressed their displeasure on social media platforms.
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Criticism poured in, with one fan tagging popular Bhojpuri actors Ravi Kishan and Manoj Tiwari, along with BCCI secretary Jay Shah, demanding action against the commentators.
What a shame @BCCI 🤮@IPL please translate and see the meaning of your commentators from bhojpuri. Utterly disgusting. Kindly remove these morons. https://t.co/o6sfKedJ77
— Seasailor (@seasailor59) March 24, 2024
Amidst the uproar, another fan highlighted the family-friendly nature of IPL viewing, expressing concern over the use of “double meaning lines” in the Bhojpuri commentary. Such commentary, the fan argued, tarnished the image of Bhojpuri language and culture, urging for responsible broadcasting.
This commentator must be sacked!! IPL is something mostly all family members watch on their dinner table! Such cheap commentary with double meaning lines will take the whole purpose of publicising Bhojpuri down!!
Sick!! @IPL @JioCinema must act. https://t.co/l95Z5Jk85V
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) March 25, 2024
Hey @ravikishann @ManojTiwariMP @JayShah will you going to sack these monsters as they are degrading our language in such a vulgur way.. These bastard commentators don’t know Bhojpuri at all… Shame on them @IPL https://t.co/bcmpIxGU3o
— KK SINGH (@Krishna28298084) March 25, 2024
Ultimately, Klaasen’s valiant innings of 63 runs off 29 balls concluded in the final over, with KKR securing a nail-biting victory by a margin of four runs. Harshit Rana’s composed bowling under pressure in the last over sealed the win for KKR, earning them their first points of the season. Andre Russell’s stellar performance earned him the Player of the Match award, courtesy of his unbeaten 64 off 25 balls and two crucial wickets.
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Looking ahead, Sunrisers Hyderabad aims to bounce back as they face Mumbai Indians at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, March 27. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians seek redemption following their opening fixture loss against Gujarat Titans. Kolkata Knight Riders gear up to clash with Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, March 29.
