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Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya has been handed a fine for Code of Conduct breach in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match against Punjab Kings on Thursday. Hardik, captaining the Mumbai franchise, failed to complete the 20 overs of bowling in the stipulated time, and hence, has been handed a fine of INR 12 lakh. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in a statement, confirmed the same. With this being only the first instance where Hardik failed to match the over-rate criteria, only Rs. 12 lakh fine was imposed.

“Hardik Pandya, the Mumbai Indians captain, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match against Punjab Kings at the PCA New International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur on April 18,” BCCI statement said after the match.

A repeat of the offence could find Hardik and other Mumbai Indians players in a bigger trouble.

As for the match, MI held onto their nerves to secure their third win of the IPL 2024 campaign.

Chasing a mammoth total of 193 runs, PBKS didn’t have the start they wanted as they lost the wicket of opener Prabhsimran Singh, who was sent back to the dressing room without opening his account in the first over of the second innings when the team score was 10.

The Kings lost their second wicket at the score of 13 when Rossouw was dismissed after scoring just 1 run, and the third wicket fell at 14 when Curran was sent back to the pavilion after scoring six runs.

At the score of 14, the Punjab side lost the fourth wicket as Liam Livingstone was dismissed after scoring just 1 run, courtesy of Gerald Coetzee’s bowling.

After the fall of four wickets, the impact player Harpreet Singh Bhatia came out to the crease. Bhatia, along with Shashank Singh, built a small partnership of 35 runs as the hosts lost half of their side at the score of 49, with Bhatia being dismissed after scoring 13 runs.

After the fall of the fifth wicket, PBKS wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma came out to bat along with Shashank. Both batters were able to put on 28 runs before Jitesh was dismissed after scoring just nine runs.

After Jitesh’s wicket, Ashutosh Sharma came out to bat. He, along with Shashank, put on a partnership of 34 runs before the latter was dismissed after playing a brilliant knock of 41 runs from just 25 balls, laced with three maximums and two boundaries.

Ashutosh slammed 61 runs in just 28 balls with the help of seven sixes and two fours, and Harpreet Brar (21 from 20) played crucial knocks for the side, but that was not enough to cross the line for the Punjab side as they were bowled out for 183 runs in the last over.

With ANI Inputs