Nortje's bat in controversies, KKR player created a ruckus

Sports News: In a match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, controversy arose when KKR fast bowler and lower order batsman Anrich Nortje was found to be using an illegal bat. The incident took place during the 16th over of the KKR innings, when Northern was present at the crease and substitute player Rahmanullah Gurbaz reached the field with a new bat for him.

According to TV commentators, the umpires declared Anrich Nortje's bat illegal after investigation as it did not meet the set standards. The game was stopped until the bat was replaced and passed into the investigation of the new bat umpires. During this time, the break proved to be expensive for KKR as it had an impact on Andre Russell's attention and he became bold on the next ball. Russell's wicket was a big blow for the team as he was batting in an aggressive mood at that time.

What is the rules of the bat?

Strict rules are determined for the bat in cricket:

• Maximum width of bat: 10.79 centimeters
• Blade thickness: maximum 6.7 cm
• Side thickness: not more than 4 cm
• Length: Should not exceed 96.4 cm

Earlier, the bats were tested only in the dressing room, but now the bat is being formally examined on the field itself. It started on 13 April in Rajasthan-Bangalore and Delhi-Mumbai matches.

Anrich Nortje return and performance

This was Anrich Nortje's first match in IPL 2025. He was out of the team for a long time due to a back injury and was injured during the SA20 League. In this match, he did not do anything special in batting, but in bowling he took one wicket for 23 runs in 3 overs. The dispute for KKR caused tension during the match and also affects the team's rhythm.