Tim David is known for his explosive batting and calm attitude under pressure. The powerful finisher often lets his bat do the talking but this time, he grabbed attention for an unusual on-field disagreement.
During the IPL 2026 RCB vs MI match at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, Tim David was involved in a brief but noticeable incident with the umpires. It happened in the 18th over of the first innings, right after he smashed a six off Hardik Pandya.
Following the shot, the fielding side requested a ball change because it had become wet, something allowed under league rules. The umpires then selected a replacement ball from a set of used ones, choosing one they felt closely matched the previous ball.
Tim David, however, was not satisfied. He took the ball and kept checking it repeatedly, delaying the restart of play. His actions didn’t go down well with on-field umpires Virender Sharma and Swaroopanand Kannur, who gave him a firm 30-second scolding for holding up the game. Tim David appeared to signal that the ball was not in proper shape.
After some reluctance, he returned the ball. Rohit Sharma stepped in to calm things down, sharing a light moment with Tim David as the tension eased. Even after that, Tim David continued smiling and gesturing, indicating he still had doubts.
Here is the video of the incident:
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Before the ball change, his team had scored 212 runs off 104 balls at a strike rate of 203.8. Afterward, they managed 28 runs from 16 balls at a strike rate of 175. Tim David remained unbeaten on 34 off 16.
The defending champions finished at 240/4 in 20 overs. Phil Salt scored 78 off 36, Virat Kohli added 50 off 38 and captain Rajat Patidar made a quick 53 off 20.
Mumbai needed 241 runs in 120 balls at 12.05 runs per over to win but they could manage only 222/5 in their stipulated 20 overs and lost the match by 18 runs.
