The captain of Delhi Capitals, Rishabh Pant, has been handed a one-match suspension for violating the IPL Code of Conduct due to a slow over-rate during the match with Rajasthan Royals on May 7 in Delhi. This marks Pant’s third over-rate penalty this IPL season, leading to his absence in DC’s crucial match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday. In Pant’s absence, Axar Patel will step in as the DC captain, with both teams in dire need of a win to stay in the playoff race.
DC’s head coach Ricky Ponting confirmed Axar Patel’s captaincy for the upcoming match in Bengaluru, praising his experience and cricketing acumen. Ponting expressed confidence in Patel’s leadership skills and highlighted his readiness to lead the team effectively in Pant’s absence.
In addition to the suspension, Pant was fined INR 30 lakh, and the rest of DC’s playing XI in that game, along with the Impact Player, faced fines of either INR 12 lakh or 50% of their match fees, whichever was lower. DC lodged an appeal disputing the match referee’s ruling, leading to a review by the board’s ombudsman, who upheld the decision after a virtual hearing attended by Pant, Sourav Ganguly, Ricky Ponting, and CEO Sunil Gupta.
The delay during the match was attributed to various factors, including the number of sixes hit by RR batters and the time taken for the Sanju Samson dismissal. However, the appeal lacked specific data on the duration of these events, resulting in the breach of the stipulated time frame for completing the 20 overs. Each IPL team is allowed 85 minutes (4.25 minutes per over) to finish their innings, with DC exceeding this limit in the match against RR.
Ponting acknowledged the responsibility resting on Pant as the captain but also noted the unpredictability of match situations affecting the over-rate. Despite the setback of losing Pant, Ponting emphasized the opportunity it presents for other players to step up and deliver for the team in his absence.
DC is one of the eight teams striving to secure a spot in the playoffs and must win their remaining matches while relying on favorable results to stay in contention. Currently positioned fifth on the table with 12 points and a net run rate of -0.316, DC faces an uphill battle to make it to the knockout stage of the tournament.
