LSG vs KKR: Watch - Phil Salt bullies Harshit Rana over his IPL 2024 ban

Kolkata Knight Riders' English opening batsman Phil Salt mocked their uncapped pacer Harshit Rana on the subject of his 1-match ban in IPL 2024. 

Harshit Rana was found guilty of breaching the Indian Premier League's Code of Conduct during Kolkata's 7-wicket win against Delhi Capitals on 29th April. The right-arm seamer had committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 of IPL's Code of Conduct for his semi-flying kiss celebration after claiming the wicket of Abhishek Porel in the match. 

As a result of his actions, the IPL authorities stripped off 100% of Harshit Rana's match fees and he was also handed a 1-match ban. He served that ban during KKR's victory over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede stadium after a wait of 12 long years. 

Phil Salt trolls Harshit Rana during team talk after the win against Mumbai Indians

While addressing the team in the dressing room after Kolkata's victory in Wankhede, Phil Salt took a brutal dig at Harshit Rana for the one-match ban. Salt, who has scored 397 runs from 10 matches this season, trolled the seamer in front of all his teammates and KKR Managing Director Venky Mysore. 

What a team 💜 what a bond💜
Harshit been kissed🤣 pic.twitter.com/kxDxak2g27

— Venky Mama (@venkymama100) May 4, 2024

Phil Salt was specifically congratulating the bowlers who played an important role in the victory after 12 years in Wankhede vs MI. Salt had mentioned the names of Mitchell Starc and Vaibhav Arora. The Englishman had almost taken the name of Harshit Rana before realizing that he was banned from the game. 

Salt quickly backtracked, started laughing himself and the entire dressing room cracked in sheer laughter as well. Harshit Rana took it rather lightly and he, too, passed on a smile. The opener would then say that Rana would be playing the next game before making the flying kiss gesture which originally got the New Delhi-based bowler banned.

"Well done boys. All the seamers, Starc, Vaibhav. Well, actually no (laughs). You've got next game (makes flying kiss gesture). Well done boys," Phil Salt said.

In spite of his one-match ban, the Knight Riders did not miss the services of Harshit Rana during their 24-run win over Mumbai. In the 1st innings, Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey were solely responsible for being able to score 169 runs. 

In the 2nd innings, KKR's bowling front led by the most expensive player for IPL Mitchell Starc had done amazingly well to get the job done comfortably. Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Andre Russell picked up a brace of wickets each and had economy rates of 5.50 (both Varun and Narine) and 7.50 respectively. 

Mitchell Starc claimed his best bowling figures of 4/33 and helped his side retain their position at the second spot in the IPL 2024 points table. 

Harshit Rana in contention to start against Lucknow Super Giants

After serving his one-match ban against the Mumbai Indians on May 3rd, Harshit Rana is in contention to make a return later tonight. The Knight Riders will be taking on the Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana stadium. A win tonight can see KKR replace Rajasthan Royals at the top of the points table due to their better net run rate.  

Read More:  IPL 2024 Points Table