Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya was penalised for maintaining a slow over rate for the second time in the ongoing IPL season, on Tuesday against the Gujarat Titans, as his side fell one over short of the required number of overs. Since this was his second offence, Pandya was fined Rs 24 Lakh while his teammates were also fined individually.
"As it was his team’s second offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Pandya was fined INR 24 lakhs. The rest of the members of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player and the concussion substitute, were each individually fined either INR 6 lakh or 25 per cent of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser," an IPL statement read. Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra too wasn't spared for his antics near the boundary.
Nehra, who has a restless nature and is constantly in his players' and captain's ears, didn't hold himself back from showing his emotions with multiple dropped catches during the Titans' bowling innings. Nehra was fined as well as handed one demerit point for his conduct contrary to the spirit of the game.
"Ashish Nehra, Head Coach, Gujarat Titans, has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct. He admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.20 - which pertains to the conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game - and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction," the IPL statement added. Nehra is always a busy man near the ropes but would be glad as his side eventually ended up winning the game.
Despite so many mistakes and errors while bowling and batting, the Titans prevailed in a rain-affected thriller. The rain interrupted the Titans' batting innings quite a few times and even though they were chasing 155, Mumbai Indians' bowlers' relentlessness didn't let them get off the hook but Sherfane Rutherford's quickfire 28, combined with cool and calm and calculative boundaries from Rahul Tewatia and Gerald Coetzee at the end made sure that the Titans got to 16 points on Tuesday.
