Amid the high-stakes match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians (MI), both captains of the respective teams, Iyer and Hardik, have been fined for maintaining the slow over-rates in the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday. However, the match delivered drama till the final over, and eventually, PBKS came out as a winner and headed to the final of IPL 2025.
The Offense: Slow Over Rate
During one of the important matches for Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, the unseasonal rain in Ahmedabad played a crucial role in delaying the match just after the toss.
Following the rain, the game was extended for an extra two hours so that the match could be completed under fair conditions for both teams. However, the high-pressure game led both captains, Iyer and Hardik, to neglect the slow over-rates, which resulted in them being punished according to the IPL code of conduct.
As the slow over-rates against Mumbai in Qualifier 2 were the second offense of the season for PBKS, captain Iyer was fined 24 lakhs, while Hardik was fined INR 30 lakhs as it was their third offense of the season. Similarly, the rest of the squad of PBKS were fined either INR 6 lakh or 25% of their match fees, and INR 12 lakh or 50% for MI.
BCCI released a statement in the presence of the media saying, ‘As it was his [Shreyas Iyer’s] team’s second offense of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offenses, Iyer was fined Rs 24 lakhs. The rest of the members of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player, were each individually fined either Rs 6 lakh or 25 percent of their respective match fees, whichever is less.”
BCCI further added,
“The rest of the members of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player of MI, were each individually fined either Rs 12 Lakh or 50 percent of their respective match fees, whichever is le
Match Summary: PBKS vs MI – Qualifier 2
The match held on Sunday night was one hell of an innings for both teams, as Iyer and Hardik were desperate to get into the final of IPL 2025.
After winning the toss in Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad, captain Shreyas Iyer elected to field first, thinking they would be the favorites while chasing in a high-octane game. Just minutes after the toss, the rain erupted in the match, leading the game to be pushed further.
As soon as the match started, MI were in full energy to smash every ball possible, and as a result, Jonny Bairstow scored 38 off 24, Tilak Verma scored 44 off 29, and Suryakumar Yadav smashed 44 off 26, helping MI reach the score of 203. The cameo of Naman Dhir, who scored 37 off 18 balls in the death overs, also contributed to MI’s 200-plus score in such a high-pressure match.
However, the game did not go as per the plan of MI in the second innings, as their key bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, was not able to pick any wickets but instead got smashed for 40 runs.
Captain of PBKS, Shreyas Iyer, played a heroic innings as he scored 87 in 41 balls, smashing 5 fours and 8 sixes, taking the team to their first ever IPL final since 2014.
PBKS is all set to face the in-form RCB in the final of IPL 2025 on June 3, and the new winner will be crowned in the inaugural season in 2008.
