Big controversy in IPL 2026 opener! what happened?

It didn’t take long for IPL 2026 to see its first controversy. In the first innings of the match, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batter Heinrich Klaasen was left fuming after a debatable call from the third

umpire to give him out caught by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)’s Phil Salt on the boundary.

It happened on the first ball of the 14th over. Romario Shepherd bowled a short one on Klaasen’s body, and the South African made a big swipe across his body. The ball went high, and Salt settled under it at the deep mid-wicket boundary. He caught it, but was very close to the boundary.

Replays were initially non conclusive. The third umpire, Rohan Pandit, didn’t look convinced with just two angles and wanted one from above Salt, which he didn’t get. He felt that there was no movement from the boundary cushions and declared it out. However, some angles showed one cushion, with the ‘Kingfisher’ logo on it, move with what looked like a contact from Salt’s shoe.

While some felt that Salt clearly and convincingly touched the cushion and that the ball should have been declared a six, others said that it was a shadow like movement. Watch it here:

Your call. I believe the cushion clearly was displaced by Salt’s feet while completing the catch. Not out and six, bad call, don’t know how you can fluff that up as a third umpire. Klaasen was not out.#IPL2026 https://t.co/yQDyLM6BY8 pic.twitter.com/7HzMiQqSvR

— Adarsh (@adarshisit) March 28, 2026

The issue became more controversial when the broadcasters showed a top angle of the catch after the advertisement break.

“Looked to me like the foot had touched the boundary sponge to me … that’s a big call for RCB .. #IPL2626 .. Not sure how you can give that out and be absolutely sure no part of the foot touched the sponge .. and the sponge moved .. a bit of a giveaway,” former England captain Michael Vaughan said in a post.

Check some of the other reactions below:

That looks like a shocker for third umpire Rohan Pandit. Salt’s feet definitely touched the boundary cushions. I cannot believe he gave a possibly game changing decision that quickly. SRH fans will be fuming.

— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) March 28, 2026

Definitely the Klassen catch wasn’t as straight forward as the third umpire thought it to be.

Should have reviewed a few more angles and the second last angle which was cut short should have been the decisive angle.

— Rᴀɢɴᴀʀ (@RagnarBlancos) March 28, 2026

No way Salt hasn’t touched the boundary cushion in that Klassen catch. Inept third umpiring and inept broadcasting given the umpire didn’t have all the angles to make his decision.

— Ajitesh Chhatani (@ajiteshchhatani) March 28, 2026

That was clearly a six !
Idk what the third umpire saw there.
Pathetic decision

— Abhishek Bharati (@TECxBEN) March 28, 2026

What is the catch rule?

The catching rules are a bit complicated when it’s about a fielder jumping out of the playing field and in. However, in this case, the umpire’s task was to simply determine whether Salt had touched the ropes when the ball was in his hands.