Hardik Pandya fined 10% of match fee, handed one demerit point for breaching IPL Code of Conduct
Incident took place during Mumbai Indians’ defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders after Pandya forcefully knocked the bails
Pandya accepted the sanction imposed by match referee Rajiv Seth
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya has been fined 10 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point after breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during MI’s defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
The all-rounder was penalised for showing dissent towards ground equipment during KKR’s chase of 148. The incident occurred on the fourth ball of the 10th over in the second innings when Pandya, frustrated during his spell, forcefully knocked the bails off while walking back to his run-up.
Pandya endured a quiet outing with the ball, finishing with figures of 0/13 from two overs as KKR chased down the target with seven balls remaining to seal a four-wicket victory.
The official statement read: “Hardik Pandya was found to have breached Article 2.2 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which pertains to ‘abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a Match’.”
“The incident occurred on the fourth ball of the 10th over of the second innings of the match, when Hardik Pandya, while walking back to his run-up, knocked the bails of the wicket with force.”
Pandya admitted to the offence and accepted the punishment sanctioned by match referee Rajiv Seth. The offence falls under a Level 1 breach of the IPL Code of Conduct.
The demerit point could prove costly in the future, with IPL rules stating that accumulation of four to seven demerit points can result in a one-match suspension.
Mumbai Indians’ difficult season has already ended in disappointment, with the five-time champions knocked out of playoff contention after managing just four wins so far.
They will wrap up their IPL 2026 campaign against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.
