IPL 2023: LSG coach Andy Flower shows middle finger to umpires during heated argument over crowd's behaviour

In the penultimate over of the 58th Match of IPL 2023 between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants, the crowd interrupted the game by throwing nuts and bolts at the LSG dugout after a controversial decision with regards to a full toss delivery bowled by Avesh Khan. The ball was initially adjudged no-ball by the on-field umpires but was later reversed by the third umpire when LSG reviewed the decision.

Following that, a heated argument took place between the umpires and the two managements as the game was halted for quite some time. While dealing with the unrest in the LSG dugout, the umpires were shown the middle finger by LSG coach Andy Flower. 

Notably, police intervention also took place during the game as some members of the LSG support staff had to come out of the dugout onto the field to protect themselves from the crowd's aggression. 

Later on, SRH's top run-getter of the innings, Heinrich Klaasen also termed such actions from the crowd 'disappointing', while maintaining that the disruption also happened to cause a shift in the momentum which, till then, seemed to have been in SRH's favour.

“Disappointed with the crowd. That's not what you want at the venue. Very disappointed (because) that broke our momentum. Not a great umpiring decision being made there, but it's part of the game,” Klaasen said.

Veteran Sunil Gavaskar bashes Hyderabad Cricket Association over inadequate dugout protection

The unruly behaviour of the Hyderabad crowd has grabbed all attention as former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar also commented on the issue, slamming the Hyderabad Cricket Association for not providing adequate covers to the teams in terms of dugout protection. He mentioned that while most dugouts today have flexi-glass, the ones in Hyderabad only had some 'beach umbrella kind of thing'. 

“What’s hard to understand is most dugouts have what we call flexi-glass. Here we have beach umbrella kind of thing, which is no protection. Come on, the Hyderabad Cricket Association can provide the proper dugouts rather than these makeshift things you see. Obviously, these are a problem, an issue," Gavaskar said.