New Delhi: Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer and his Mumbai Indians counterpart Hardik Pandya were fined a part of their match fees for maintaining slow over rates during the Qualifier 2 clash of IPL 2025 in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
As it was his team’s second offence of the season under the IPL’s code of conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Iyer was fined Rs 24 lakh.
The rest of the members of Punjab’s playing XI, including the impact player, were each individually fined either Rs 6 lakh or 25 per cent of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser.
As it was Mumbai’s third offence of the season, Pandya was fined Rs 30 Lakh. The rest of the members of Mumbai’s playing XI, including the impact player, were each individually fined either Rs 12 Lakh or 50 per cent of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser.
Iyer the difference maker
Iyer’s 41-ball 87-run knock helped Punjab enter theoir first final in 11 years. They chased down a target of 204 runs with six balls still left to be played.
He came into bat at No.4 and then hit five boundaries and eight sixes to steer his team past the finishing line and set up a date with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final.
IPL is set to get a new champion on June 3 in Ahmedabad as both teams looking battling for their maiden title in 18 years. Last year, Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title.
“I don’t know to be honest, I love such big occasions. I always say to myself and to my colleagues in the team that the bigger the occasion, the calmer you are, you get the big results,” he said after the match.
“Today was a right example where I was focusing more on my breathing rather than sweating out there. All players need to be assertive and show that intent from ball one. The intent was stupendous and even for me, I had to take some time.
“From the other end, the batsmen were striking pretty well. I know the more time I spend on the field, the better I get and my vision also gets better.”
Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings defeated Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians by five wickets in the Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025 Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
