Heartbreak for Rahul Tripathi: sits inconsolable after costly run out in KKR vs SRH qualifier 1; Gavaskar expresses outrage

Rahul Tripathi was left devastated after a terrible mix-up with Abdul Samad led to his run out during the crucial Qualifier 1 match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Tripathi, who had been playing exceptionally well amidst SRH's rare batting collapse, scored a brilliant fifty. However, a communication error caused a disastrous run-out, ending an innings that could have significantly impacted the match's outcome.

A costly mistake

Tripathi was inconsolable after the run-out. He was seen sitting alone on the staircase, his head buried in his hands, overwhelmed with emotion. The mix-up happened when Tripathi tapped the ball wide of the fielder at point. Andre Russell sprinted, grabbed the ball, and fired a perfect throw to the keeper. Samad had taken off, and Tripathi initially responded but then stopped midway, realizing the run wasn't feasible. Samad made it to the non-striker's end, but the damage was done as SRH lost one of their key players at a critical moment.

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Commentator Sunil Gavaskar did not hold back, criticizing Samad for the miscommunication. He said, "Totally Samad's fault. Tripathi was backing up alright. There was no run in it. The ball was stopped. Unnecessary wicket… at the wrong time for Sunrisers."

A turning point in the match

Tripathi's dismissal was a significant blow for SRH. He had been batting superbly, scoring 55 runs with seven fours and a six, maintaining a strike rate of 157.14. His partnership with Heinrich Klaasen had added 62 crucial runs for the fifth wicket. However, once both set batters were out, SRH's innings fell apart.

Earlier in the match, SRH faced a tough start. Their powerful opening pair, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, were dismissed within the Powerplay. Mitchell Starc bowled Head for a second consecutive duck, and Vaibhav Arora removed Abhishek in the next over, leaving SRH struggling at 13/2. Despite a lucky break when KKR missed a review against Tripathi, the team couldn't build on his efforts. Nitish Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed fell cheaply, and SRH were at risk of being bowled out at 126/9 in the 16th over.

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Captain Pat Cummins tried to salvage the innings with a late 30 off 24 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes. His effort helped SRH reach a somewhat respectable total of 159 all out in 19.3 overs, with the last-wicket partnership of 33 being the second-highest of the innings. However, Tripathi's run-out remained the turning point, marking a heartbreaking moment for SRH in a crucial match.