WATCH: Drama as Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s no-ball gives Jos Buttler a reprieve after superb over

Bhuvneshwar Kumar considered only one run in his first over during Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) opening game against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Tuesday, March 29 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. But despite bowling an economical bowler, the rub of the green didn’t go in the fast bowler’s favour.

Bhuvneshwar bowled four dot balls and kept Butter quiet in the first over. In the fifth ball, Kumar bowled an out-swinger and the batter had little clue about it. Buttler made a tentative poke outside the off-stump and ended up finding a thick outside edge.

Abdul Samad took a sharp catch in the slip cordon. Wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran also pulled out a dive, but it was the young Samad, who caught hold of the ball. However, Butter had luck going in his favour.

Replays showed that Kumar had overstepped the bowling crease and the delivery wasn’t legitimate. But in the free hit, the speedster made amends as he bowled a dot ball. Kumar finished the over with a dot delivery as well.

Here’s the video of Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowling the no-ball to Jos Buttler

In the fourth over, Buttler again survived a massive scare, this time off the bowling of Umran Malik. The seamer bowled a delivery outside the off-stump and Buttler tried to smack the ball through the off-side. But instead, he got an outside edge and Samad dropped him in the slip cordon.

The ball raced away to the boundary for a four and a brisk pace. But Buttler wouldn’t have been out even if Samad had taken the catch. Malik had bowled a no-ball and it was the third no-ball the Sunrisers had bowled in 21 balls.

The over started in a horrendous manner for Malik as Buttler smacked him for a four followed by a six over the keeper. Buttler also ended the over with a colossal six and Malik leaked 21 runs in the first over he bowled in IPL 2021.

The Royals got off to an excellent start as they scored 58 runs in the powerplay without losing a single wicket. Even as Buttler was playing his shots, his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal didn’t die wondering as well.