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IPL 2020: Robin Uthappa seen applying saliva on ball match vs KKR

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Oct 01, 2020, 03:34 PM IST
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Photograph:(Twitter)

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Veteran Indian and Rajasthan Royals batsman Robin Uthappa was spotted applying saliva on the ball in what comes as a violation of the ICC COVID-19 protocol during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday. 

Veteran Indian and Rajasthan Royals batsman Robin Uthappa was spotted applying saliva on the ball in what comes as a violation of the ICC COVID-19 protocol during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday. 

Kolkata Knight Riders were invited to bat first after Steve Smith won the toss. Early in the innings, Sunil Narine skied a ball towards Robin Uthappa as the RR fielder, placed at mid-on, dropped the catch and then was seen applying saliva on the ball. The video of the incident, which took place in the fifth delivery of the third over, has gone viral on social media. It could be a natural human error but should have been reported to the umpires so that the ball could be sanitized properly before the resumption of play.

ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Kolkata Knight Riders end Rajasthan Royal's unbeaten run, win by 37 runs

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The IPL has not issued any official statement on the incident so far. Even Shivam Dube has been spotted applying saliva on the ball in one of the Royal Challengers Bangalore matches but no statement came from the IPL regarding that.

The ICC had banned the usage of saliva to shine the ball amid the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020. 

"If a player does apply saliva to the ball, the umpires will manage the situation with some leniency during an initial period of adjustment for the players, but subsequent instances will result in the team receiving a warning," it had stated in its Standard Operating Procedure for the game.

"A team can be issued up to two warnings per innings but repeated use of saliva on the ball will result in a 5-run penalty to the batting side. Whenever saliva is applied to the ball, the umpires will be instructed to clean the ball before play recommenced," the ICC notification read.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Rajasthan Royals by 37 runs to clinch their second victory on the bounce. This was RR’s first defeat in IPL 2020.