NEW DELHI: A chaotic moment of fielding madness overshadowed a high-pressure Eliminator in Maharashtra’s premier T20 league as Vicky Ostwal capitalised on a comical lapse by Kolhapur Tuskers to turn the tide for Raigad Royals at the MCA Stadium in Pune.Chasing a tricky total of 160, Ostwal found himself at the centre of a bizarre sequence during the middle overs. Having punched a back-foot shot off Atman Pore through the cover region, he and his batting partner looked to push for a second run. But disaster struck mid-pitch, with both batters colliding and falling flat, giving Kolhapur a golden opportunity to run Ostwal out. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!What followed, however, left fans and commentators stunned.The throw came in from the deep straight to the keeper, who astonishingly decided to send it back to the bowler instead of completing the run-out himself, despite Ostwal being well short of his crease. Watch:Pore, caught off-guard, fumbled the return. Realising a window still existed, a Kolhapur fielder grabbed the ball and sprinted toward the striker’s end. Sensing danger again, Ostwal made a dash for safety. The shy at the stumps missed, and with no one backing up, Ostwal regained his ground unscathed.The Royals’ dugout erupted in laughter and relief, while Kolhapur Tuskers looked on in disbelief.
Fans, in disbelief, started commenting on the incident. “Finding Sportmanship,” one fan wrote. Another fan quipped, “Every player on the field should retire immediately.”The farcical miss proved incredibly costly. Riding his fortune, Ostwal went on to anchor the chase with a brilliant 74 off 54 balls, steering Raigad Royals to a dramatic victory in this knockout clash.With this win, the Royals march into Qualifier 2, where they will take on Puneri Bappa for a place in the grand final. Whether Ostwal’s survival becomes a tournament-defining moment remains to be seen, but for now, it’s a viral sensation and a painful memory for Kolhapur.
