The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Shreyas Iyer has been slapped with a hefty fine for violating the IPL Code of Conduct during their recent match against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Eden Gardens on Monday night, April 16. Shreyas Iyer has been penalised for maintaining slow over-rate during the match as KKR fell behind the required over rate, resulting in a fine. According to the official statement, this was KKR's first offense related to a slow over rate this season. Consequently, Iyer was hit with a significant fine of Rs 12 lakhs.
Shreyas Iyer penalised for slow over-rate
“Shreyas Iyer, the Kolkata Knight Riders captain, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over rate during their TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match against Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens on April 17,” the statement read.
“As it was his team’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to a minimum over rate offences, Iyer was fined Rs 12 lakhs,” it added.
RR stun KKR in last-ball thriller
In a match for the ages, the Rajasthan Royals pulled off the IPL's biggest run chase ever to defeat the Kolkata Knight Riders by two wickets. Chasing a mammoth 224-run target set by KKR, RR emerged victorious on the very last ball of the match. KKR, batting first on a good batting pitch at Eden Gardens, had a strong foundation laid by Sunil Narine's blistering century. The explosive all-rounder smashed a 56-ball 109, carrying the team's batting charge almost single-handedly. He stitched together an 85-run partnership with Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30) and later added another 51 runs with Andre Russell (13) before departing in the 18th over. However, the match took a dramatic turn in the second innings. Rajasthan found themselves in deep trouble at 121/6 by the 13th over, needing a further 103 runs for victory. Enter Jos Buttler, the hero of the night. The English batsman displayed incredible power and determination, blasting an unbeaten 60-ball 107 to single-handedly drag his team back into contention.
Requiring 46 runs in the final three overs and a daunting 28 runs in the last 12 balls, the pressure was immense. But Buttler remained unfazed, defying all odds with his aggressive batting. With a nail-biting finish, RR completed the seemingly impossible chase on the last ball of the match, securing a historic two-wicket victory.
KKR's defeat against RR marked their second loss in six games in the ongoing IPL 2024. This setback comes in stark contrast to the Royals' current form, who have won six out of seven matches to sit at the top of the points table. KKR's slow over rate and subsequent fine serve as a reminder to all teams of the importance of adhering to IPL regulations.
KKR will next lock horns with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 21 while Sanju Samson's men will next face five-time champions Mumbai Indians on April 22.
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