5 ugliest player altercations in IPL history
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the most prestigious franchise league in the world, and with the money and glamour that comes with the league also comes high pressure. With world-class players across all countries coming together in one cash-filled extravaganza, high-octane clashes and disagreements are all but inevitable.
The IPL has not been free from controversy by any stretch of the imagination, both on and off the field. In this article, we take a look at the 5 biggest player altercations that India's premier T20 competition has seen.
#5 Kieron Pollard vs Shane Watson (IPL 2013)
In the 2013 edition of the IPL, Kieron Pollard and Shane Watson were involved in a sledging incident that escalated rapidly. The West Indian, who was fielding at long-on, tried to get into Watson's head right from the time he came in to bat, and his efforts bore fruit when the Australian miscued a shot straight into his hands.
Before the dismissal, the umpires had already warned both Pollard and Watson, and captain Rohit Sharma was also informed of his player's transgression. However, the Mumbai Indians all-rounder appeared to mock Watson, even after the latter got out and was sitting in the dugout.
An angry Watson got up and walked away, and RR's Rahul Dravid was entirely displeased with the incident.
Speaking about Pollard's send-off after the game, Dravid termed it an act of cowardice:
"One of the things that I find when you send off batsman after you have got him out is that it is an act of cowardice. That is my personal opinion. Batsman can never respond after you have got him out and you send him off."
"Saying something on the field is part and parcel of the game. Having a chat, a bit of banter while the game is on is fine but my personal opinion is that when you send a batsman off after you have got him out is an act of cowardice," he added.