Sports Desk, 18th May: Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya incurred a fine of Rs 30 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 encounter against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Wankhede Stadium. The penalty, imposed on Friday, May 17, also saw other MI players fined Rs 12 lakh or 50 percent of their match fees, whichever was lesser.
In a media release, IPL authorities confirmed the sanctions, citing, “Hardik Pandya, the Mumbai Indians captain, has been fined due to his team’s slow over-rate during their IPL 2024 match against Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on May 17.” The statement further explained, “Since it was his team’s third offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct regarding minimum over rate offences, Pandya was fined Rs 30 lakh and barred from participating in the team’s next match.”
The repercussions extend beyond this season. With MI’s IPL 2024 campaign concluded, Pandya’s ban will carry over to 2025, affecting his availability regardless of his future team.
Transitioning to MI from Gujarat Titans (GT) proved challenging for Pandya this season. MI concluded IPL 2024 at the bottom of the table, amassing only 8 points with a net run rate of -0.318, winning just 4 out of 14 matches. Their final game ended in a defeat to LSG by 18 runs.
Pandya’s individual performance fell short of expectations. With the bat, he accumulated a mere 216 runs in 14 matches, averaging 18 with a strike-rate of 143.04 and a highest score of 46. His bowling figures mirrored this disappointment, claiming 11 wickets at an expensive economy rate of 10.75.
The road ahead is daunting for Pandya. As the vice-captain of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2024, set to take place in the West Indies and the United States, Pandya faces the challenge of regaining form and confidence. His leadership and performance will be pivotal for India’s ambitions in the global tournament.
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