Mumbai: Sherfane Rutherford openly criticised repeated interruptions caused by Rasikh Salam Dar during Mumbai Indians’ (MI) high-scoring clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), saying the frequent delays disrupted his rhythm in a steep run chase.
Chasing a daunting 241, MI fell short despite Rutherford’s blistering unbeaten 71 off just 31 balls. While his late onslaught reduced the margin of defeat and helped limit the impact on net run rate, the West Indies batter admitted that the stop-start nature of play made it difficult to build momentum.
“That was the toughest part for me. Every time Rasikh bowled, there was a long delay. As a batter, you need momentum, and it kept slowing the game down. It’s something I can’t control, but I’ll learn from it,” Rutherford said in the post-match press conference.
The key moment unfolded in the 16th over when Rasikh, struggling with cramps, repeatedly halted play for medical attention. The physio was called onto the field multiple times, leading to prolonged delays that broke the flow of the innings.
Despite the interruptions, Rasikh managed to dismiss Naman Dhir during the over but continued to struggle physically. Eventually, he was forced to leave the field midway through, with Romario Shepherd stepping in to complete the over.
The situation also drew attention from match officials, as the fourth umpire was seen discussing the matter with RCB head coach Andy Flower in the dugout.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar did not hold back in his assessment, questioning the repeated stoppages and calling for stricter on-field protocols.
“If a player needs treatment, he should go off the field and another bowler should complete the over. We can’t keep seeing the physio come out again and again,” Gavaskar remarked during commentary.
Despite the disruptions, Rutherford produced a remarkable late assault. He smashed Jacob Duffy for three sixes in the 18th over and followed it up with four more maximums off Shepherd in the final over.
His unbeaten 71 included nine sixes and one boundary, marking his maiden IPL half-century and one of the most powerful knocks in a losing cause this season.
However, a tight penultimate over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar ensured Mumbai Indians remained out of contention.
While Rutherford’s innings stood out as a highlight, the match will be remembered for the Rasikh-Rutherford episode that sparked debate around game flow and injury management.
For MI, the loss exposed challenges in chasing big totals, while for RCB, the win was slightly overshadowed by discussions around repeated interruptions and their impact on the contest.
