In a thrilling encounter at Barsapara Stadium, Rajasthan Royals secured their first win of the IPL 2025 season against Chennai Super Kings, but the victory was marred by a significant fine imposed on their stand-in captain, Riyan Parag. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) fined Parag Rs 12 lakhs for maintaining a slow over-rate during the match on Sunday.
The penalty was enforced under Article 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which addresses minimum over-rate offences. As this was the team’s first offence of the season, Parag received a monetary penalty rather than a more severe sanction. This incident marks the second time this season that a captain has been fined for slow over-rate, following Mumbai Indians’ Hardik Pandya, who faced a similar penalty after their match against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
The BCCI has introduced new regulations for the current season concerning over-rate violations. Captains will now receive demerit points based on the severity of the offence instead of facing match bans. This change comes after Hardik Pandya’s one-match ban in 2024, which led him to miss Mumbai’s season opener against Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025.
Despite the fine, Rajasthan Royals celebrated a crucial victory. Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga played a pivotal role, claiming 4 wickets for 35 runs and exposing Chennai’s vulnerability against spin bowling. Nitish Rana contributed significantly with a half-century, helping Rajasthan post a competitive total. The match climaxed in a nail-biting finish, with Sandeep Sharma successfully defending 20 runs in the final over, crucially dismissing the legendary MS Dhoni.
This victory marked Rajasthan’s first win of the season after two consecutive losses to Sunrisers Hyderabad and defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders. The Royals will aim to build on this momentum when they face Punjab Kings in their next match at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium in Chandigarh.