IPL: 5 Fairplay moments in the history of the tournament

We’ve witnessed 12 editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), and the tournament has left a lasting impression on fans, in all its years of existence. While the stories of victories and comebacks will always be memorable, the players showing sportsmanship also leave us with something to remember.

Considering the high stakes with which these games are played, it is not as easy for one to be on their best behaviour. But we look back at 5 instances where players exhibited fair play in the IPL.

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Ben Stokes (RR vs SRH, IPL 2018)

Ben Stokes in action for Rajasthan Royals

Sunrisers Hyderabad were facing off against the Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur in the 2018 season of the IPL. With the Sunrisers winning the toss and electing to bat first, Alex Hales and Kane Williamson had steadied the ship quite well after they lost Shikhar Dhawan early in the innings.

In the ninth over, with Ish Sodhi bowling to him, Hales attempted to slog one towards the midwicket boundary only to find Ben Stokes’ impressive effort ending up with the ball in his hand. England’s 2019 World Cup hero, however, immediately suggested that he had dropped the catch and that Hales wasn’t out.

Although the cameras may have picked it up later anyway, it is not often that a player admits to having dropped a catch as quickly as Ben Stokes did, even in this day and age.

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Hashim Amla (RCB vs KXIP, IPL 2017)

Hashim Amla playing for KXIP in the IPL

Having lost the toss and being asked to bat, Kings XI Punjab posted 138/7 against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, during IPL 2017. Possibly the most memorable moment of that innings would be when Hashim Amla nicked one to wicketkeeper off the bowling of Aniket Choudhary.

The incident took place in the very first over as Hashim Amla got a faint edge off an Aniket Choudhary delivery and neither the fielding team nor the umpire made much of it. It was only after the South African began to walk back, did the fielders realise what had happened and the umpire raised his finger as well.

The batsman’s action was lauded on social media, and deservedly too. With the high-stakes nature of present day cricket, the players can be forgiven for being tempted to sneak one past the umpires and the opposition.

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David Warner (SRH vs GL, IPL 2017)

David Warner in action

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s IPL 2017 home fixture will be remembered by this moment that David Warner made memorable. With the score at 88/1, Basil Thampi bowled a straight delivery that Moises Henriques drove past the bowler, who, in an attempt to stop the ball, saw his shoe pop out.

David Warner, in his stride, picked up the shoe and handed it over to Basil Thampi before completing the single. The move was welcomed with a thunderous cheer from the Hyderabad crowd.

With a competition quite as competitive as the IPL, it is reasonably rare to watch a light-hearted moment like what the Australian opener left us with, and an action like his was bound to sit well with the audience in the stadium and watching at home alike.

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Ajinkya Rahane (MI vs RPS, IPL 2017)

Ajinkya Rahane

In a third appearance for the 2017 edition of the IPL in this list, Ajinkya Rahane pulled off a stunner at the midwicket boundary before tossing the ball back to Steve Smith. However, he would signal a six with his hands, suggesting that he had stepped on the rope as he was getting hold of the ball.

The fact that the act of sportsmanship came in the first qualifier makes it all the more impressive, although it could be argued that the match was in the bag by then. You can never say never in a game of cricket, as we all know.

Rising Pune Supergiant would go on to win the match quite comfortably in the end, coming out on top by 20 runs, and booking their place in the IPL finals in the process.

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Suresh Raina (DD vs GL, IPL 2017)

Suresh Raina and Rishabh Pant

The final entry in this list comes from a game between Delhi Daredevils and Gujarat Lions from IPl 2017. Chasing a mammoth 209 for victory, Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson brought out the fireworks as the former raced away to 97 off just 42 deliveries.

However, a wild swing off a Basil Thampi delivery saw him get an outside edge that landed safely in Dinesh Karthik’s gloves. Having missed out on an IPL century, Rishabh Pant stood on the pitch distraught for a few seconds before Gujarat Lions captain Suresh Raina walked up to him and consoled him for missing out on that century.

The Delhi Daredevils would complete the chase comfortably in the end, with a couple of overs to spare as well. But the image from the innings that would leave a lasting impression from the innings was Suresh Raina consoling Rishabh Pant after his dismissal, thanks to an admirable act of sportsmanship.