IPL 2024: BCCI imposes heavy fine on Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya
PTC Web Desk: Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya faced a fine for a breach of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Code of Conduct during a match against Punjab Kings on Thursday. Hardik Pandya failed to complete the required 20 overs within the stipulated time, resulting in a fine of Rs 12 lakh. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the penalty in a statement following the match.
According to the BCCI statement, this was the first instance where Hardik Pandya's team did not meet the over-rate criteria, which is why the penalty was set at Rs 12 lakh. Repeated offenses could lead to harsher consequences for Pandya and other Mumbai Indians players.
In the match, Mumbai Indians managed to hold their nerve and secure their third win of the IPL 2024 season. Chasing a substantial target of 193 runs, Punjab Kings struggled at the start, losing opener Prabhsimran Singh in the first over without scoring a run. The team quickly lost three more wickets, including Rossouw and Curran, with the score at 14 runs.
The Punjab Kings' situation worsened when they lost their fourth wicket with the score still at 14 runs, as Livingstone was sent back to the pavilion after scoring just one run. Gerald Coetzee's bowling played a pivotal role in dismissing Livingstone.
After losing four wickets, Punjab Kings' Harpreet Singh Bhatia and Shashank Singh formed a brief partnership of 35 runs. However, Bhatia was dismissed after scoring 13 runs, and Punjab Kings lost half of their side at a score of 49 runs.
Shashank Singh continued to build runs alongside Jitesh Sharma, adding 28 runs to the scoreboard before Jitesh's dismissal for nine runs. Ashutosh Sharma then joined Shashank and they built a partnership of 34 runs, but it was cut short when Shashank fell after an impressive innings of 41 runs from 25 balls, including three sixes and two fours.
Ashutosh Sharma played a stellar knock of 61 runs in 28 balls, striking seven sixes and two boundaries. His partner Harpreet Brar contributed 21 runs from 20 balls, but their efforts could not secure a win for the Punjab Kings. The team was bowled out for 183 runs in the last over, falling short of the target by 10 runs.
- With inputs from agencies
