Visakhapatnam, April 1
Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant was fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
DC defeated CSK in an exciting clash by 20 runs and the highlights of the match were Pant's return-to-form knock of 51 in 32 balls and a late cameo by MS Dhoni of 37* in 16 balls while chasing 192 runs for CSK.
The league issued a statement announcing Pant's offence. He was fined Rs 12 lakhs because it was his team's first offence of the season under the league's Code of Conduct.
"Rishabh Pant, the Delhi Capitals captain, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match against Chennai Super Kings at the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam on March 31," said a statement from the IPL.
"As it was his team's first offence of the season under the IPL's Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, Pant was fined Rs 12 lakhs," the statement added.
DC won the toss and opted to bat first. David Warner (52 in 35 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and a returning Prithvi Shaw (43 in 27 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) started off well with a 93-run opening partnership. Following their dismissal, DC lost their direction for a while until Rishabh Pant (51 in 32 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) scored some quick runs in the end to take the side to 191/5 in their 20 overs.
Matheesha Pathirana (3/31) was the pick of the bowlers for CSK.
In the run-chase of 192, Khaleel Ahmed (2/21) and Mukesh Kumar (3/21) troubled the CSK batters with their line and length and at one point, CSK was 75/3 in 10.2 overs. Useful knocks came from Ajinkya Rahane (45 in 30 balls, with five fours and two sixes), Daryl Mitchell (34 in 26 balls, with a four and two sixes) and MS Dhoni (37* in 16 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes), but DC secured a 20-run win, restricting the five-time champions to 171/6.
Khaleel got the 'Player of the Match' for his match-winning spell.
CSK is in the second spot with two wins and a loss, giving them four points. DC is in the seventh spot, with a win and two losses, giving them two points.