The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) camp faced a disciplinary setback on Monday as head coach Andy Flower was penalized for a heated exchange during the team’s high-stakes encounter against Mumbai Indians (MI). The IPL governing body confirmed that Flower has been fined 15 percent of his match fee after being found guilty of using an “audible obscenity” directed toward the fourth umpire.
The incident occurred during the 17.2 over of the match at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. According to the official statement, Flower breached Article 2.3 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which pertains to the use of offensive language during a match. The former Zimbabwean captain admitted to the Level 1 offense and accepted the sanction imposed by Match Referee Amit Sharma, putting an end to the disciplinary proceedings.
RCB Edge Out MI in Last-Ball Thriller
Despite the tension on the sidelines, the action on the field remained electric. RCB managed to secure a nerve-wracking two-wicket victory over the Mumbai Indians on the final delivery of the game. Chasing a target of 167, RCB was propelled by a brilliant 73-run knock from Krunal Pandya, who took the attack to the MI bowlers. A frantic final over saw Rasikh Salam scramble for the winning runs off Raj Bawa, keeping RCB at the top of the table.
The defeat had massive implications for the tournament standings, as it officially knocked Mumbai Indians out of the playoff race. It was also a milestone night for veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose devastating opening spell of 4-23 earned him the Player of the Match award. While the fine on Andy Flower serves as a stern reminder of the league’s disciplinary standards, the victory provides RCB with a crucial two points as they look to defend their title in IPL 2026.