Watch: Virat Kohli dropped, then wrongfully adjudged LBW off 'Baby AB' Dewald Brevis' first-ever IPL ball
Virat Kohli got a reprieve from Dewald Brevis, only for the South Africa youngster dismissed him later.
Virat Kohli got a reprieve from Mumbai Indians' (MI) South African youngster Dewald Brevis, who dropped the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batting great in the marquee RCB-MI IPL 2022 league-stage encounter. But in a remarkable turn of events, Brevis came on to bowl with Mumbai's fate sealed and dismissed Kohli with his first ever ball in IPL.
With dropped catch, fielding at the deep backward square leg region near the closing stages of the RCB run-chase in Pune on Saturday (April 9), Brevis, nicknamed 'Baby AB', got a pull shot off Kohli's bat coming straight at him. But the fielder made a meal of it, letting the ball go between his legs for another boundary to Kohli and RCB's kitty.
Facing MI's uncapped Indian quick Basil Thampi, Virat Kohli initially seemed to have hit his pull shot straight into the hands of Brevis. But a costly error from the young player allowed the former RCB skipper to continue his innings.
Dewald Brevis lets go a straightforward catch off Virat Kohli's bat
The drop catch came to light at the start of the 15th over in RCB's innings. Needing another 50 runs off the remaining 36 balls, Virat Kohli was on the look out for some fours and sixes. And the batter got one in his radar from Thampi, whom he pulled with brute force and timing in the square leg region.
But for a moment or two, Kohli would've had the heart in his mouth, seeing Brevis get around the ball and go for the catch. However, to his relief, Brevis messed up the final stages of his grab after perhaps stopping one step before he should've as he got down with the ball.
It meant the ball reached Brevis at a low, awkward height and that made the catch a little more difficult. But still, the cricketer would've expected to grab hold of it and see the departure of RCB's great batter. Instead, he not only dropped the ball but also conceded a boundary.
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After the drop, Brevis looked visibly distraught with himself for letting go an opportunity while MI strived to get back in the contest with another breakthrough. Virat Kohli was not minding the moment one bit, though, as he got a boundary and kept RCB in the ascendancy approaching the back half of his team's run-chase.
But there was a twist in the tale as Kohli was later adjudged LBW, albeit in a controversial manner, off Dewald Brevis. The ball had a clear inside edge before rapping the pads but the third umpire, after multiple replays, adjudged Kohli out, much to Kohli's dismay. The former RCB captain was seen mouthing words all the way long till the dugout as he missed out on a deserved fifty.
WATCH KOHLI LBW DECISION OFF DEWALD BREVIS
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Kohli was dismissed on 48 although RCB went on to comfortably win the game with Glenn Maxwell smashing back to back fours to seal the game off the next two balls from Brevis in that very same over.