Wearing masks is a new normal in the COVID-19 era. But on Monday, a different kind of mask made the news during match 38 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Punjab Kings' all-rounder Rishi Dhawan turned up wearing a protective face shield against defending champions Chennai Super Kings.
In other sports, wearing protective masks and headgears is not new. In cricket too, batters wearing helmets is part and parcel of the game. In fact, Australian umpire Bruce Oxenford and his innovative arm guard are a regular sight in the IPL.
But bowlers wearing protective gears is very rare. And Rishi Dhawan sporting a mask became a hot trend on social media. For the record, Warren Barnes of Otago Volts started wearing a protective mask in 2018. Here are some reactions:
It's worth noting that Rishi Dhawan, 32, suffered a nose injury during a Ranji Trophy match earlier this year. The Himachal Pradesh captain had to undergo surgery, forcing him to miss the first four matches for Punjab Kings this season.
On the eve of the PBKS vs CSK match, Rishi Dhawan said that "I am making an IPL comeback after four years. It was a little disheartening when I got injured in the Ranji Trophy. I had to go through surgery which ruled me out of the first four matches, but I'm totally fine and available for selection now. I've been training hard and hope to have a strong comeback."
In the match, Rishi Dhawan bowled the decisive final over, and took the prized wicket of MS Dhoni. He returned with figures of 2/39 from his four overs.
Punjab Kings won the match by 11 runs. They are now sixth in the IPL 2022 points table with four wins and four defeats. They next play Lucknow Super Giants on April 29.
