Incident Overview

In the IPL 2025 encounter between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, LSG spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi was fined for violating the IPL Code of Conduct. The violation happened when Rathi issued a lively "notebook" send-off to PBKS batsman Priyansh Arya after bowling him in the third over.

Disciplinary Action

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) acted quickly upon Rathi by fining him 25% of his match fees and slapping one demerit point on his scorecard. In its official press release, IPL stated that the Level 1 offense under Article 2.5 was owned by Rathi and that he accepted the sanction of the Match Referee, which stood as final and binding for offenses of this sort.

Match Outcome

In the game, PBKS won by an emphatic eight-wicket margin against LSG. In pursuit of 172 runs, PBKS reached 177 for 2 in only 16.2 overs. Prabhsimran Singh guided the chase with a scorching 69 off 34 balls, while captain Shreyas Iyer added an unbeaten 52 off 30 balls, securing the win with a six. LSG had earlier posted a total of 171 for 7, with Nicholas Pooran scoring a top score of 44.

Implications

The incident shows that the IPL is dedicated to upholding sportsmanship and discipline on the field. Players are warned to celebrate in the true spirit of the game, showing respect to the opposing team and staying in line with the league's code of conduct.