The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has imposed hefty fines of ₹12 lakh each on Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) stand-in captain Riyan Parag and Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya for slow over-rate offenses during their respective IPL 2025 matches. Both captains were penalized under Article 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which regulates over-rates in the tournament.
Why Were Riyan Parag and Hardik Pandya Fined?
Riyan Parag Penalized After Rajasthan Royals’ Victory Over CSK
Riyan Parag was leading RR in place of regular captain Sanju Samson when they secured a thrilling six-run victory against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. Despite the win, RR failed to complete their bowling innings within the stipulated time. The BCCI, in adherence to the IPL’s over-rate policy, imposed a ₹12 lakh fine on Parag as it was his team’s first offense of the season.
This was Parag’s final match as RR’s stand-in skipper, and he will now hand back the captaincy to Sanju Samson for RR’s next match against Punjab Kings.
Hardik Pandya Fined After Mumbai Indians’ Defeat to Gujarat Titans
Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya also faced the same ₹12 lakh fine after MI’s 36-run defeat to Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. MI took longer than the allowed time to complete their bowling innings, triggering the slow over-rate penalty.
Pandya had already missed MI’s tournament opener against CSK due to a one-match suspension he received at the end of the IPL 2024 season for accumulating three slow over-rate offenses.
What Is a Slow Over-Rate in the IPL?
A slow over-rate occurs when a team fails to complete their bowling innings within the designated time frame. The IPL has strict rules about match duration to ensure games conclude on time and do not disrupt broadcasting schedules.
According to IPL regulations:
- Teams must bowl their 20 overs within a stipulated time limit, with allowances for unavoidable delays such as injuries or weather interruptions.
- If a team does not meet the required over-rate, the captain is held accountable and penalized.
New Over-Rate Rules in IPL 2025
The BCCI has revised its slow over-rate policy for IPL 2025:
- Captains are no longer automatically suspended after three over-rate violations.
- Instead, the league has introduced a demerit point system, where offenses are recorded over three seasons.
- If a captain accumulates multiple demerit points, they could still face a suspension, but it will be assessed over a longer period rather than in a single season.
This rule change was implemented after several captains, including Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals) and Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians), faced suspensions in IPL 2024, which affected their teams during crucial matches.
Impact on Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians
- Rajasthan Royals: With Riyan Parag finishing his stint as captain, Sanju Samson will return to lead the team from their next match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.
- Mumbai Indians: In Hardik Pandya’s absence, Suryakumar Yadav led MI against CSK, but Pandya remains the team’s designated captain for the remainder of the tournament.
Conclusion
The BCCI’s strict enforcement of over-rate regulations reflects its commitment to ensuring the smooth conduct of IPL matches. While the ₹12 lakh fines serve as a warning, repeated offenses could lead to harsher penalties in the future under the new demerit system. As the tournament progresses, captains will have to be more mindful of their team’s over-rates to avoid further disciplinary actions.