Mullanpur, April 19: Mumbai Indian (MI) held their nerves and put up a united effort together. All their senior players rallied behind their captain and bowlers, when it mattered most to resist a late carnage by Punjab Kings batters. MI won the cliff-hanger by nine runs.
But all of their on-field long conferences, repeated fielding changes, players running every now and then to their bowlers with regular advises, did earn their captain Hardik Pandya a financial penalty.
Pandya has been fined Rs 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate during the IPL match against Punjab Kings at the PCA New International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
"As it was his team’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, Pandya was fined Rs 12 lakhs", a BCCI statement read.
On Thursday's match, Mumbai Indians survived Ashutosh Sharma's stunning assault of 25-ball 61, also his first fifty in the IPL, to get crucial two points.
MI is currently sitting seventh on the points table with three wins in seven games.
But Pandya is not the first captain to be fined for slow over rate during IPL 2024. A few others have already been penalised too.
Considering the fierce competition and pressure-cooker like situations during IPL games, there may be more instances of skippers being penalised for slow overrates. But all that may matter less if the fined manages to pull up a win like MI did against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur. (With IANS support)
