Lucknow Super Giants spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi has been handed a hefty 50 percent match fee fine for breaching the IPL code of conduct during their 12-run victory over Mumbai Indians on Friday. This marks his second consecutive offence this season. Additionally, team captain Rishabh Pant was fined Rs 12 lakh for a slow over-rate.
Rathi received his first penalty earlier this week, losing 25 percent of his match fee for performing a notebook celebration after dismissing Punjab Kings’ Priyansh Arya. He repeated the same celebration after taking Naman Dhir’s wicket in Friday’s match against Mumbai Indians.
“This was his second Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 this season and hence, he has accumulated Two Demerit Points, in addition to One Demerit Point which he accumulated during LSG’s match against Punjab Kings on April 01, 2025,” the IPL stated on Saturday.
“For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding,” the statement added.
The IPL’s Article 2.5 specifically addresses player conduct, aiming to prevent “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from another player in the match.” However, the code clarifies it is not “intended to stop Players celebrating, in an appropriate fashion, the dismissal of the opposing Team’s batter.”
Regarding Pant’s penalty, the IPL explained: “As this was his team’s first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Rishabh Pant was fined INR 12 Lakh.”
The slow over-rate resulted in LSG being required to keep an extra fielder inside the ring during the final over of MI’s chase. Despite this restriction, the team successfully defended 22 runs to secure their second victory of the season.