If Gujurat Lions and Black Caps star Brendon McCullum had been wearing a cap rather than a floppy hat, he would have had Royal Challengers Bangalore masterblaster Chris Gayle stunningly caught on the boundary instead of helping him to a six in their IPL clash on Tuesday.
The incident occurred as McCullum dived to catch Bangalore opener Gayle just inside the boundary, only to slide toward the marker rope.
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Brendan McCullum's floppy hat ruins catch
Gujurat Lions star Brendon McCullum lands a miracle catch at the IPL clash against Bangalore batsman Chris Gayle. Well, almost...
It seemed he had pulled up just in time and Gayle was given out, only for a video review to show the brim of the Kiwi's hat had touched the rope.
Gayle, who had walked off the pitch on 38, was recalled to continue a match-winning innings.
![Floppy hat denies Brendon McCullum miracle catch](/web/20170424084913im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/n/f/m/h/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gvndml.png/1492573412741.jpg)
Under cricket's laws, it is not a catch if the fielder "subsequently touches the boundary or grounds some part of his person beyond the boundary while carrying the ball".
So a wide-brimmed hat touching the rope is the same as stepping on it. Both are not out.
Meanwhile, Gayle became the first batsman to complete 10,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket with an explosive 77 off 38 balls, backed by captain Virat Kohli's 64 and cameos from Kedar Jadhav (38) and Travis Head (30), giving Royal Challengers a total of 2-213.
In reply, McCullum hit a valiant 72 off 44 deliveries with seven sixes and two fours, while No. 7 batsman Ishan Kishan hit four sixes and two fours in his quickfire 39. But Lions still lost by 21 runs as they finished at 7-192.
![Breaking new ground: Chris Gayle.](/web/20170424084913im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/n/e/a/n/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gvndml.png/1492573412741.jpg)
Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (3-31), who snared McCullum in the 15th over, had earlier done the damage by taking the wickets of captain Suresh Raina and Dwayne Smith.
Ridiculous that this catch was disallowed. Some stupid laws this game has. The hat?! Seriously? https://t.co/rslhr6Kx8r #VIVOIPL via @ipl
— Rajkrishnan Menon (@RajkrisMenon) April 18, 2017
Gayle had the milestone on his mind in his 290th Twenty20 as he ran three singles off his first five deliveries to achieve the feat after Raina won the toss and opted to field.
The West Indian left-hander smashed seven towering sixes and five fours, putting on 122 runs for the opening wicket stand with Kohli off just 76 balls.
On Thursday, defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad will host Delhi Daredevils.
AP
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