The 9th match of IPL 2024 is being played between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals. Delhi won the toss and decided to bowl first and in 20 overs, Rajasthan Royals scored 185 runs on the scoreboard. Delhi team, chasing the target, started demanding to stop the match on the very second ball. At the same time, Delhi coach also got angry.

Actually, Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting clashed with the umpires during the innings break of the IPL 2024 match against Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. A picture of the former Australian cricketer arguing with the umpires regarding the impact player rule went viral on the internet.

What is the matter, why did Delhi coaches and players get angry?

Rajasthan Royals have already fielded three foreign players in their starting playing 11 in the form of Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer and Trent Boult, they brought in a fourth player in the form of Rovman Powell in place of Shubham Dubey. Andre Berger had entered the field as Hetmyer’s replacement fielder even before the start of the innings. On this matter, Ricky Ponting and team director Sourav Ganguly quarreled with the umpire and raised their voice that the Rajasthan team was cheating on the field, because Rovman Powell had come to field and there were 5 foreign players on the field.

Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting was visibly unhappy with the impact substitution players from Rajasthan Royals.

So much chaos and so little clarity.

📸: Jio Cinema pic.twitter.com/iZSa9P3lZV

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) March 28, 2024

Therefore, Ponting started arguing with the fourth umpire whether a team could field five foreign players. But the reality was that the Royals had only 4 overseas players at the beginning of the innings and Powell came as a substitute, and Hetmyer was not on the field. Rajasthan had kept Rovman Powell as a substitute fielder for some time. Delhi raised questions on this. On this, the umpire brought a sheet that including Powell, only 4 foreign players were in the field. Jos Buttler, Trent Boult, Narde Berger, and Powell.

What are the rules of IPL?

IPL rules state that a team cannot have more than 4 foreign players in its playing XI, but rule 1.2.6 states:

“There cannot be more than 4 foreign players in a team on the field of play at any time during any match. Thus, if the team names a maximum of 4 foreign players in its starting XI, a foreign player can only field as a substitute. If the team includes less than 4 foreign players in its starting playing 11, then foreign players can enter the field only as impact fielders.”