Kohli Snubs Head, New Controversy Erupts After Match

An incident involving Virat Kohli refusing to shake hands with Travis Head has sparked fresh controversy in the IPL. After Friday’s match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Hyderabad, the two teams lined up for the customary post-match handshakes. Kohli shook hands with Pat Cummins and Abhishek Sharma but appeared to ignore Travis Head. Head had his hand outstretched waiting for Kohli, but the RCB batter walked past him and moved on to the next player in line.

Kohli and Head were also seen exchanging words during the match. However, the exact reason behind the tension between the two remains unclear.

Earlier in the match, Hyderabad posted 255 for 4 batting first. To secure a top-two finish, Bengaluru needed at least 166 runs, while 178 would have taken them to the top of the table. RCB appeared more focused on improving their net run rate than chasing victory. Opening the innings, Kohli scored 15 off 11 balls before being dismissed by Sakib Hussain in the final over of the powerplay. RCB eventually finished on 200 for 4.

Having finished second in the league stage, RCB will face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala on May 26. Meanwhile, third-placed Hyderabad will play the Eliminator in New Chandigarh on May 27. The final remaining playoff spot is still up for grabs, with Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals all still in contention.