No ball controversy: Pant, Thakur handed heavy fines, Amre suspended for one match

MUMBAI, Apr 23: Captain Rishabh Pant was on Saturday fined 100 per cent of his match fee, while assistant coach Pravin Amre was handed a one-match ban for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during Delhi Capitals’ 15-run loss to Rajasthan Royals.

Besides the one match ban, Amre was also fined his entire match fees, while DC pacer Shardul Thakur too has been penalised 50 per cent of his match-fees, IPL said in a release.

The trio were penalised for their conduct during the controversial final over of the match in which Delhi Capitals required 36 runs to win on Friday night.

Needing 36 runs for a win off the final over, DC batter Rovman Powell hit three successive sixes from the first three deliveries, including the third ball which was a hip-high full-toss from Obed McCoy, to bring the equation down to 18 runs from the final three balls.

However, the DC camp demanded that the third ball be called a no ball for height with Pant asking his batters — Powell and Kuldeep Yadav to walk out and assistant coach Amre stepping on to the playing arena to speak to the umpire.

Pant admitted to the “Level 2 offence” under Article 2.7 of the IPL Code of Conduct and “accepted the sanction”.

Thakur also accepted the sanction for the “Level 2 offence under Article 2.8” of the IPL Code of Conduct and accepted the sanction.

Handed a one-match ban, Amre too “admitted to the Level 2 offence under Article 2.2 of the IPL Code of Conduct and accepted the sanction.”

It started with Kuldeep, who was at the non-striker’s end, gesturing to the umpires to check for a possible no-ball on height after the third delivery. Powell joined in having a chat with the umpires too. But the umpires stood their ground, saying the delivery was legal.

Pant looked livid and called Kuldeep and Powell back, while assistant coach Shane Watson tried to reason him out.

Amre then went into the playing arena but he was told to go back by the umpires.

RR legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal tried to stop Kuldeep from walking out, while Royals opener Jos Buttler, who hit a match-winning 116, was also seen having words with Pant near the boundary line. (PTI)