IPL 2019: MS Dhoni fined 50 per cent match fee for Code of Conduct breach

April, 12: Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni was docked 50 per cent of his match fee for coming on the field during their thrilling last ball finish against Rajasthan Royals on Thursday. The statement released by the IPL said, “Mr Dhoni admitted to the Level 2 offence 2.20 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct and accepted the sanction.”

Article 2.20 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct refers to actions that are against the spirit of the game. The 50% fine levied on Dhoni is the minimum sanction for a Level 2 offence for the first time. The IPL statement didn’t go into specifics for which Dhoni had been fined.

The rare incident witnessed MS Dhoni losing his cool at an umpire and even more bizarrely, coming to the field of play to argue with the officials over a potential no ball. With 18 needed off the final over in Jaipur, Dhoni was bowled by Ben Stokes off the third ball of the over.

With the equation now requiring CSK to score 9 runs in three balls, Mitchell Santner came on to bat. The very first ball he faced was signalled a no-ball by Ulhas Gandhe – the umpire at the bowler’s end. However, the no ball, for over the waist height, was not given by the square-leg umpire.

Confusion ensued with Ravindra Jadeja, the other CSK batsman in the middle, checking with umpires on the Free Hit that should have followed, shortly before a furious Dhoni stormed to the field of play. He was seen angrily gesticulating in an animated discussion with the umpires with Stokes and other Rajasthan Royals players also involved. This held up play for a few minutes.

(Indian Express)

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