Abhishek Sharma's dismissal during the clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in match number 6 of IPL 2026 sparked major controversy. The left-hander had to walk back after Varun Chakravarthy pulled off a stunning catch near the boundary ropes. The third umpire made his decision after reviewing specific angles despite replays showing that the catch might have been dropped.

The moment unfolded in the 9th over when Abhishek went for a pull shot, and Varun Chakravarthy caught the ball near the boundary line. The third umpire made his decision in favor of the fielding team after he reviewed one angle despite the replay evidence showing the ball might have bounced before the KKR fielder completed the catch. Blessing Muzarabani, who replaced a KKR player, achieved his second wicket during the same over. Abhishek scored 48 off 21 balls, smashing four fours and four sixes at a strike rate above 228.

This marks the second time in IPL 2026 that an SRH batter has faced a controversial decision. Heinrich Klaasen faced a challenging situation during the first match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru when he pulled a short delivery to midwicket which Phil Salt caught.

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The catch did not appear clean. Salt lost balance even after positioning himself well under the ball. Replays showed his foot close to the boundary cushions. Third umpire Rohan Pandit reviewed the footage multiple times but did not zoom in on the back angle or request another perspective. For a brief moment, Salt’s foot shadow disappeared, suggesting possible contact with the boundary cushion.

The two disputed calls led to inquiries about how third umpires make their decisions because they had access to multiple technological resources which included different camera views and advanced review systems. In one case, Salt’s foot seemed to touch the boundary cushion against SRH. The ball had appeared to bounce before Varun caught Abhishek's catch. The fielding teams received favorable outcomes from both decisions.