IPL 2025: Skipper Rishabh Pant And Digvesh Hit With Fine And Demerit Points For LSG’s ‘Slow Over-rate’ And ‘Notebook Celebration’

April 5, 2025: Captain Rishabh Pant of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has been handed a significant fine following his team’s slow over-rate during the thrilling IPL 2025 encounter against Mumbai Indians (MI). In addition, LSG’s leg spinner, Digvesh Rathi, who has been making headlines with his impressive bowling and fiery celebrations, was fined 50 percent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct.

The penalties come after LSG secured a nail-biting 12-run victory over MI in Match 16, held at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday. The IPL released a statement on Saturday, detailing the fines imposed on both Pant and Rathi for their respective offences.

Pant, as the captain, was penalized for maintaining a slow over-rate during the match. Since it was LSG’s first such offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which addresses over-rate violations, Pant has been fined Rs 12 lakh. He becomes the third captain this season to be penalized for a slow over-rate, following Rajasthan Royals’ Riyan Parag and Mumbai Indians’ Hardik Pandya, who were similarly fined for slow over-rates in their respective matches against Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans.

Digvesh Rathi, known for his match-changing spells and bold celebrations, was also in the spotlight for a second Code of Conduct violation. After dismissing Naman Dhir during the game, Rathi celebrated by performing a “notebook” gesture, similar to one he used earlier in the season, which had previously led to a fine. This time, he was fined 50 percent of his match fees for his celebratory action and received his second demerit point of the season. His first demerit point came after the Punjab Kings match on April 1, 2025, when he repeated the same notebook celebration after dismissing Priyansh Arya.

As a result of the second offence, Rathi now has accumulated two demerit points. The IPL’s statement confirmed that for Level 1 breaches, the decision of the Match Referee is final and binding.

Both players’ actions, despite their commendable performances on the field, serve as reminders of the importance of adhering to the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which ensures fair play and discipline in the tournament.

With the fines and demerit points now recorded, both Pant and Rathi will be hoping to avoid further infractions as the IPL 2025 season progresses.