Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 2 : Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi has been fined 25 per cent of his match-fee due to a violation of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Code of Conduct during the clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Lucknow on Tuesday.
During the Tuesday's clash against PBKS, Rathi dismissed PBKS batter Priyansh Arya, who is also his teammate in Delhi's cricket team while playing domestic cricket. After dismissing the left-hander for a poor score, Rathi ran towards Priyansh and started doing a gesture as if he was noting down his name somewhere. Priyansh though, did not respond to this celebration at all.
A press release from IPL stated, "Digvesh Singh, Bowler, Lucknow Super Giants has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated One Demerit Point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team's match against Punjab Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Tuesday."
Digvesh Singh admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee's sanction.
For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee's decision is final and binding.
The 25-year-old Digvesh has made a name for himself during the ongoing season, taking five wickets in three matches at an average of 20.20 and an economy rate of 8.41, with best figures of 2/30 against PBKS.
Being put to bat first, LSG was reeling at 35/3, but fighting knocks from Nicholas Pooran (44 in 30 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and Ayush Badoni (41 in 33 balls, with a four and three sixes) and a fiery cameo by Abdul Samad (27 in 12 balls, with two fours and two sixes) gave LSG something to fight for.
Arshdeep was the top bowler with three wickets and figures of 3/43. Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Maxwell and Yuzi Chahal were also among the wickets as except for a half-century stand between Pooran and Badoni for the fourth wicket, nothing really got going for LSG as they struggled to form long partnerships.
During the run-chase, PBKS did lose Priyansh Arya (8) early. But power-packed knocks from Prabhsimran Singh (69 in 34 balls, with nine fours and two sixes), skipper Shreyas Iyer (52* in 30 balls, with three fours and four sixes) and Nehal Wadhera (43* in 25 balls, with three fours and four sixes) took PBKS to a eight-wicket win with 22 balls left.
Digvesh's spell of 2/30 in four overs was not enough.
PBKS are at the second spot in the points table and made it two wins in two, while LSG have slipped to sixth spot with a win and two losses.