Ashish Nehra, head coach of the Gujarat Titans (GT), has received a fine for “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game” during the rain-affected game against Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium. The game, marked by several interruptions, also saw MI, led by Hardik Pandya, penalised for a slow over-rate.
In the disrupted IPL 2025 match between MI and GT, frequent rain delays led to a frenetic finish. As per IPL regulations, MI was required to have an additional fielder inside the 30-yard circle during the final over of GT’s innings. GT managed to seal victory in a nail-biting finale, scoring the necessary 15 runs in Deepak Chahar’s over, clinching the win off the last ball.
Hardik Pandya, for this being the second such occurrence under his captaincy this season, was slapped with a fine of INR 24 lakh. MI team members were individually fined either INR 6 lakh or 25% of their match fees, depending on whichever was lesser.
On the GT side, Nehra’s animated attempts to restart play during the rain breaks drew attention. He was fined 25% of his match fee and earned a demerit point for breaching Article 2.20 of the IPL code of conduct, although the specifics of the incident were not detailed by the IPL. It’s notable as this marks the first instance of a coach receiving a demerit point under the IPL’s code, a list where players like Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill already feature prominently.
Reflecting on the game, Abhinav Mukund praised Gujarat’s preparation, stating, “Gujarat Titans came into this game very well prepared.”
With the repercussions in place, the event serves as a stern reminder of the regulations governing sportsmanship and game pace in the IPL.
