Ayush Mhatre bat-check chaos (Screengrab) NEW DELHI: A bizarre and slightly comical moment took place during the IPL 2026 clash between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings when young batsman Ayush Mhatre came into bat at No. 3. What was supposed to be a routine start quickly turned into chaos even before he faced a single ball on Friday.As part of standard procedure, the umpire checked Mhatra’s bat with a meter. Surprisingly, the bat did not go through. They brought a spare bat, but that didn’t work either.
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Mike Hussey admits CSK were outplayed after the batting collapseThen came the third at-bat and it didn’t go through either. At this point, Mhatre looked completely confused at the crease while Chepauk watched the crowd in disbelief as the delay lengthened.Just when things couldn’t get any weirder, the referee realized the mistake, the meter was being used backwards the entire time. Once turned the right way, Mhatra’s original bat passed the test immediately without any problems. A mixture of laughter and disbelief ensued as all the earlier confusion proved unnecessary.In the end, nothing really changed. Mhatre continued to bat with the same bat he had originally pulled out and the substitutes were no longer needed. The incident had no impact on the match itself, but quickly became one of the most talked about moments of the day.He also emphasized that even a small mistake in a high-pressure game can cause a lot of havoc. In a tournament already full of surprises, this unusual episode added another memorable moment to IPL 2026.
