Delhi Capitals faced a major setback before their crucial IPL 2024 showdown against Royal Challengers Bengaluru when their captain, Rishabh Pant, was suspended for one match by the BCCI.
Rishabh Pant also received a hefty fine of ₹30 lakh. He was penalised for maintaining a slow over rate, which violates the IPL Code of Conduct, marking the third instance this season. The latest infraction occurred during DC’s recent match against RR in Delhi.
BCCI announced that Rishabh Pant, the captain of Delhi Capitals, has been fined and suspended for one match due to a breach of the IPL Code of Conduct. This penalty came after his team was found to have a slow over-rate during their match against Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on May 07, 2024.
According to the IPL rules, if a team commits their first over-rate offence, the captain faces a fine of ₹12 lakh. For the second offence, the fine doubles to ₹24 lakh. However, for the third offence, the captain can be suspended for one match and fined ₹30 lakh.
In the case of the match against RR, all other DC players involved, including the Impact Player, were fined ₹12 lakh or 50% of their match fees, whichever is lower.
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Rishabh Pant has been suspended for one match and fined INR 30 Lakh for DC’s over-rate offence in the match against RR.#IPL2024 #DelhiCapitals #RishabhPant pic.twitter.com/lwjwQ1goWM
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) May 11, 2024
Because it was the third time this season that his team had been penalised for failing to maintain the minimum over-rate required by the IPL’s Code of Conduct, Rishabh Pant was fined INR 30 Lakh and suspended for one match.
The other members of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player, were each fined either INR 12 Lakh or 50% of their respective match fees, depending on which amount is lower.
BCCI Ombudsman ruled against Rishabh Pant, DC lost appeal
Delhi Capitals lodged an appeal against the decision made by the match referee. This appeal was then passed on to the BCCI Ombudsman for further examination. After a virtual hearing, the Ombudsman concluded that the ruling of the match referee stands as the final and binding decision, as stated in Article 8 of the IPL Code of Conduct.
With Pant suspended, DC faces the task of appointing a new captain for their crucial match against RCB this Sunday. It’s likely that Australia’s David Warner will step into the role. This setback hits DC hard as they need to win their next two matches to secure a spot in the playoffs.
Their net run rate isn’t favourable, so a loss in either game could dash their playoff hopes. Losing Rishabh Pant is a major blow in multiple ways, he’s not just their captain but also their top performer with the bat and gloves. Pant has been outstanding this season, scoring 413 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate of 156.