Ishan Kishan's Unexplained Walk Off Shocks IPL 2025 Crowd

The IPL always finds ways to surprise, but what happened during the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI) match on April 23, 2025, left everyone speechless. Ishan Kishan, SRH's opener and wicketkeeper, became the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. It was the first ball of the third over. MI fast bowler Deepak Chahar sent a delivery down the leg side. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary—no appeal from the fielders, no edge heard, and umpire Vinod Seshan even looked like he was about to signal a wide.

Then, in a move no one saw coming, Kishan simply turned on his heels and started walking back to the pavilion, seemingly indicating he was caught behind. The silence in the stadium was matched by disbelief in the commentary box. Former England cricketer Nick Knight and Indian cricket pundit Manoj Tiwary both called the moment 'bizarre' and 'baffling.' UltraEdge technology, which flashes into action for contentious dismissals, confirmed there had been no contact between bat and ball. Yet the umpire, responding to Kishan’s gesture, raised his finger and made the dismissal official.

Was It Spirit of Cricket or a Costly Error?

Reactions to Kishan’s decision were instant and divided. MI captain Hardik Pandya seemed as surprised as anyone, giving Kishan a supportive pat as he left—perhaps a nod to the ‘spirit of cricket’ or perhaps just sympathy for a fellow pro caught in a moment of confusion. In the SRH dugout later, Kishan was seen frustrated, swearing under his breath and clearly replaying the incident in his mind. Social media, meanwhile, was set alight with opinions. Some called it another example of honesty in cricket, but most just thought Kishan had suffered a serious lapse in judgment.

The effect on SRH was immediate and brutal. The team never seemed to recover from their star batter’s early exit. What could have been a solid platform turned into a slow-motion collapse, with SRH crumbling to 143/8 in their 20 overs. Mumbai, led by efficient chases from their top order, had little trouble knocking off the runs in only 15.4 overs, sealing the victory by seven wickets and leaving Hyderabad’s playoff chances hanging by a thread.

This one moment—whether you see it as unnecessary honesty or pure confusion—has sparked heated debates across cricket circles. Is it always right to walk if you think you’re out, even when technology proves otherwise? Or should players rely on the systems in place and let the officials do their job? For now, the only certainty is that SRH find themselves in trouble, with only two wins from eight matches and playoff hopes fading fast. Kishan’s walk-off is now part of IPL folklore—strange, unforgettable, and sure to be brought up any time the high-pressure world of T20 cricket throws up another curveball.