In the acid test of speed and vigour that is IPL, every delivery matters. But in one bizarre instance of IPL 2018, something utterly remarkable went unnoticed. This Bowler Once Bowled 7 Valid Balls in an Over in IPL, and no one even realized it till much later. The bowler in question was Ben Laughlin of Rajasthan Royals, and the game was against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Known for drama, high points, and edge-of-the-seat thrillers, IPL never lets anything go amiss, but this was one such case. Despite having the presence of excellent umpires and TV cameras on all possible angles, the 12th over of SRH had seven genuine deliveries in it. The incident was mystifying and raised umpiring accuracy issues. Although the game's outcome was not changed, Sunrisers won comfortably, the incident is still a subject of debate in IPL trivia. Let's examine what occurred, why it occurred, and why it remains intriguing years later to cricket enthusiasts and experts. The Incident: 7 Legal Balls in One Over in IPL Go Unnoticed Image Source: Rajasthan Royals April 9, 2018, was the date of the fourth match of IPL 2018. Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad was the fixture at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. Australian pacer Ben Laughlin, who has a lot of experience, was asked to bowl in the 12th SRH over. The over progressed as follows: Ball 1: Laughlin to Williamson - no run Ball 2: Laughlin to Williamson - 1 run Ball 3: Laughlin to Dhawan - no run Ball 4: Laughlin to Dhawan - 1 run Ball 5: Laughlin to Williamson - 1 run Ball 6: Laughlin to Dhawan - Four Ball 7: Laughlin to Dhawan - 1 run Each delivery was within the rules. There were no wides and no-balls in the over. But seven balls were bowled in the over, a deplorable shift in the game of cricket in which an over is supposed to comprise six legal deliveries. On-field umpires and cricketers failed to notice this aberration during the match. Also Read | IPL Finals Reversed: Who’d Have the Most Titles? Umpiring Oversight and Its Implications Image Source : BCCI The supervision caught all of them off guard, considering the technological processes and strict procedures implemented to verify every aspect of the match. Umpire Nigel Llong, the match's umpire, failed to spot the extra delivery, and the third umpire, C.K. Nandan, did not intervene.These errors do not happen often at the international level. Usually, if the umpire on the field is confused, the leg umpire or third umpire steps in to rectify the count. In this case, the oversight remained undetected, revealing a glitch in the system for a short time.Though the extra ball did not influence the result of the game, Sunrisers Hyderabad won by nine wickets, the incident brings to focus caution and the potential consequences of human error in tight games. Match Result: A One-Sided Match Image Source: BCCI Even though the umpire made a mistake, the match was uninspiring, mainly because the result went neatly in the direction of Sunrisers Hyderabad. With the modest total of 126 within reach, SRH achieved the target with 25 balls in hand. Shikhar Dhawan scored a brilliant innings of 77 not out from 57 balls, and captain Kane Williamson added 36 not out. Their unbeaten stand translated into an easy victory and made the extra ball irrelevant in the overall equation.In the event that the match had been closely fought, the extra ball would have created huge controversy and could have changed the course of the game, which might have invited questions regarding the level of umpiring. Aftermath and Reactions The incident raised argument among cricket people over umpiring levels and the need for increased vigilance. The reports said that match referees informed umpires that they needed to be more alert on the ground to prevent such slips. Although official action was never taken against the officials, the incident proved to be a wake-up call, a reminder to all of the need for precision and the possible repercussions of seemingly trivial mistakes in professional sport. Also Read | List of Players Who Hit 5 Sixes in an Over in IPL Conclusion The episode of This Bowler Once Delivered 7 Legal Balls in an Over in IPL is a unique footnote in the history of the tournament.It is a reminder that even in the era of technology and perfection, human errors always find ways through the crevices. Although the event did not alter the outcome of the match, it led towards the directions in which match umpiring needs to improve and also highlighted the requirement for eternal vigilance. With the IPL in future, such incidents serve as a reminder that there should be robust systems in place to preserve the integrity of the game.