The Delhi Capitals have suffered a significant setback as their captain, Rishabh Pant, has been penalized with a fine and a one-match suspension due to a breach of the IPL’s Code of Conduct. The disciplinary action comes in the wake of the Capitals’ slow over-rate during their encounter with the Rajasthan Royals on May 7.
The IPL governing council, in an official announcement, declared, “Mr. Rishabh Pant, Captain, Delhi Capitals has been fined has been fined and suspended for one match for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match 56 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 against Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on May 07, 2024.”
The Delhi Capitals, under Pant’s leadership, recorded their third minimum over-rate offense of the season in this particular match. As a consequence of the repeated violations, Pant has been fined a hefty sum of Rs 30 lakh alongside the suspension. Moreover, all other members who were part of the Playing XI for that game, including the Impact Player, have been subject to financial penalties as well.
The IPL governing council further detailed the fines, stating, “As it was his team’s third offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Rishabh Pant was fined INR 30 Lac and suspended for one match. The rest of the members of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player, were each individually fined either INR 12 Lac or 50 per cent of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser.”
Pant’s enforced absence will be felt during the upcoming match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru scheduled for May 12 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The Capitals are presently in a precarious position as they strive for a playoff berth, with 12 points accumulated over 12 matches. To keep their playoff hopes alive, they would need to emerge victorious in their remaining games, the next of which is crucial against the Lucknow Super Giants on May 14 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, poised to become a potential decider for the final playoff spot.
In a turn of events, the Delhi Capitals sought to contest the ruling by the match referee, which led to the issue being escalated to the BCCI Ombudsman for reconsideration. Despite the appeal, the Ombudsman held a virtual hearing and upheld the original decision of the match referee, stating that it remains final and binding. The IPL statement clarified the legal process: “As per Article 8 of the IPL Code of Conduct, the Delhi Capitals filed an appeal challenging the ruling of the Match Referee. Following this, the appeal was referred to the BCCI Ombudsman for review. The Ombudsman conducted a virtual hearing and affirmed that the decision of the Match Referee remains final and binding.”
This situation puts Delhi Capitals in a challenging position as they navigate the remainder of the tournament without their captain at the helm for a pivotal match. The team, fans, and the IPL community will be eagerly looking to see how the Capitals manage this adversity and whether they can secure their position in the playoffs. The enforced sanction on Pant is a stark reminder for all IPL teams about the importance of adhering to the league’s Code of Conduct, especially concerning over-rate offenses, which can have significant implications on the team’s leadership, morale, and prospects in the high-stakes tournament.
