Follow UsGujarat Titans (GT) coach Ashish Nehra and Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya have been fined for different reasons after GT defeated MI in a close encounter at the Wankhede on May 6.
The MI skipper and his teammates (the playing 12, including the impact substitute) were fined for MI’s slow over-rate in the game which was interrupted multiple times by rain. While Hardik was fined INR 24 Lakh, the other 11 players were fined INR 6 Lakh or 25% of their match fees (whichever is lesser).
Meanwhile, Nehra was fined for conduct that showed a lack of spirit of the game during the rain breaks, where he was seen animatedly talking to the umpires to start the game hastily after the interruptions. He was fined 25% of his match fee and handed a demerit point for breaching Article 2.20 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) code of conduct.
“Ashish Nehra, Head Coach, Gujarat Titans, has been fined 25% 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 conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game, and accepted the match referee's sanction,” the statement released by IPL said.
This was the second time a coach has been fined this season of the IPL, after Munaf Patel was penalised for a similar offence after Delhi Capitals’ Super Over against Rajasthan Royals earlier.
With this loss, MI’s streak of six wins on the trot in the season was broken. They have 14 points in 12 games and are still going strong to finish in the top four. However, a top-two finish might be difficult now. Meanwhile, GT are now on top of the points table after eight wins in 11 games.