Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje’s bats rejected by umpires during PBKS vs KKR IPL 2025 match [Watch]
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) players Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje had their respective bats rejected by the umpires after a gauge test during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mullanpur on Tuesday, April 15. The on-field umpires as well as the fourth umpire have been directed to inspect the bats during practice sessions and matches to avoid any discrepancies.
The bat inspection was usually conducted outside of the match environment in the past, but the rate of bat checks have ramped up significantly since the start of the tournament.
The majority of the players had their bats checked during the afternoon encounter between the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The norm continued during Punjab Kings' (PBKS) home encounter against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
A clip making the rounds on social media shows Sunil Narine and Angkrish Raghuvanshi's bats being checked by the officials just beyond the boundary ropes, right before the second innings. While the youngster's bat passed the check, the umpires were not pleased with Narine's bat as the gauge did not pass entirely.
Narine was dismissed for just five runs after being castled by Marco Jansen in the first over.
Anrich Nortje, who came into bat at No.11, also had his bat rejected by the match officials. He had walked out to join Andre Russell at the crease when KKR were reduced to 95-9 after 15 overs while attempting to chase 112.
There was a slight delay in proceedings as substitute Rahmanullah Gurbaz had to walk out with alternative options for Nortje to choose from, and one that met the guidelines. The replacement bat passed the gauge test by the umpires, following which play was resumed.
Nortje, however, was stranded at the other end as Marco Jansen dismissed Andre Russell off the first ball of the 16th over to wrap up the contest. PBKS bundled out KKR for just 95 runs to ensure a historic 16-run victory while defending a meagre target.
"If umpires want to check it for their satisfaction, we don't have a problem" - RR batter Nitish Rana on bat checks in IPL 2025
The early impressions suggest that the bat checks are here to stay in the IPL, especially with two breaches being detected in a single innings. The recent initiative has caught the players off guard a bit, one which bowlers and experts have lauded.
"According to the rules, the width of the bat face should not exceed 10.79cm, the thickness of the blade shouldn't be more than 6.7cm, and the width of the edge of the bat cannot be more than 4cm. The length of the bat should not exceed 96.4cm," the IPL guidelines state (via ESPN Cricinfo)
"It is fair enough, we don't have a say in that, it is not controllable. The bats are made by the company that sponsors us. But if umpires want to check it for their satisfaction, we don't have a problem," RR batter Nitish Rana said ahead of their IPL 2025 match against DC.
The IPL 2025 action continues with the Delhi Capitals (DC) hosting the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Arun Jaitely Stadium on Wednesday, April 16.