In the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 matchup between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians (MI) in Ahmedabad, Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya faced fines due to their teams’ slow over rates. The fines came despite a delayed start caused by unexpected rain, which allowed for an extended two-hour window to complete the match. The setbacks eventually pushed the game even later into the evening.
For PBKS, this incident marked their second offence of the season, resulting in Iyer being fined INR 24 lakh. Hardik, whose team committed their third such infraction, saw a steeper penalty of INR 30 lakh. The fines extended to other team members as well: PBKS players faced penalties of either INR 6 lakh or 25% of their match fees, whichever was lesser, while MI players were fined either INR 12 lakh or up to 50% of their fees.
Despite this being a repeated offence for MI, Hardik avoided a suspension under the revised rules of this season. Last year, a similar situation saw him miss the opening match of IPL 2025 due to suspension.
PBKS celebrated Iyer’s outstanding performance, an unbeaten 87 off 41 balls, securing their spot in the final. This victory propels them to their first IPL final since 2014, where they’ll face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on June 3. Both PBKS and RCB, part of the IPL since its inception in 2008, are yet to claim the title, promising a first-time champion by Tuesday night.
These infractions highlight ongoing challenges with over-rate management as the tournament unfolds. While rules allow for some flexibility, teams are reminded of the importance of maintaining pace within the game’s constraints.
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