Ravichandran Ashwin retired out in the 19th over of Rajasthan Royals' innings in their IPL 2022 game against Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday (10 April).
Historic scenes were witnessed in match 20 of IPL 2022 as Ravichandran Ashwin became the first batter to be retired out in the IPL. Rajasthan Royals looked to consolidate with Ashwin after the fall of early wickets, but he was batting deep into the innings and in the 19th over, Ashwin decided to pull the plug on the innings and bring Riyan Parag in, possibly considering Parag’s death hitting skills and also running between the wickets.
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This was the first ever time that a player was retiring out in a T20 innings in the IPL and social media reacted wildly to it.
Bhutan’s Tobgay 1st in T20Is, would be a few others in T20s too.
— Abhay (@ImAbhay3) April 10, 2022
Other three players
Shahid Afridi (Pakistanis) v Northants, 2010
Sonam Tobgay (Bhutan) v Maldives, 2019
Sunzamul Islam (Cumilla Warriors) v Chattogram Challengers, 2019— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) April 10, 2022
— Peep (@Peep00470121) April 10, 2022
Ashwin retired out for an individual contribution of 28 off just 23 balls. Riyan Parag walked in to bat next and scored 8 runs while facing four deliveries, which included a big six off Jason Holder in the last over as well. Shimron Hetmyer turned out to be the top scorer in the innings as he scored an unbeaten 59 off just 36 deliveries and took Rajasthan to a total of 165/6, something that looked like an uphill climb at one point in the match.
“I literally had no idea what was happening. I just turned and saw him go off” — Shimron Hetmyer later said at the post-match presentation on Ravichandran Ashwin being retired out.
Three other players have retired out before in T20s:
Shahid Afridi (Pakistanis) v Northants, 2010
Sonam Tobgay (Bhutan) v Maldives, 2019
Sunzamul Islam (Cumilla Warriors) v Chattogram Challengers, 2019
Sonam Tobgay is the only one to retire out in an international T20I till date. Ashwin’s incident marks the first of the lot in the Indian Premier League.
