Kolkata: Virat Kohli, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batsman, has been fined 50% of his match fees for breaching the Indian Premier League (IPL) Code of Conduct during Match 36 of IPL 2024 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Sunday evening.
Kohli was penalized for displaying dissent against the umpire’s decision. He contested the manner of his dismissal, believing that the ball on which he was dismissed was above waist height and should have been deemed a no-ball.
“Kohli was found to have committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.8 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct. He admitted to the offence and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction,” read the statement from the BCCI.
For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the decision of the Match Referee is considered final and binding.
During the chase of 223 against Kolkata Knight Riders, Kohli made a brisk start, hitting two sixes and a four. However, he mistimed a slower high full-toss from Harshit Rana back to the bowler. The decision was referred to the third umpire, Michael Gough.
The review indicated that the ball was descending on Kohli, who was batting out of his crease. The decision was made by matching the height of the batter up to his waist with the height of the ball. This left Kohli visibly frustrated as he expressed his displeasure to the umpires before departing for 18 runs.
Needing 21 runs to win in the final over, Karn Sharma struck three sixes off Mitchell Starc before being caught and bowled by the left-arm pacer. Wicketkeeper Phil Salt then ran out Lockie Ferguson on the last ball, resulting in RCB losing the match by one run.
