Hardik Pandya Penalized for Slow Over-Rate, MI Faces Defeat Against GT

By Gurlal Singh

Cricket Player who is writing about cricket now.

Posted: March 30, 2025
Last updated: March 31, 2025

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In the latest Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 developments, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya has been fined INR 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate during their matchup against the Gujarat Titans (GT). This game, held on a Saturday night in Ahmedabad, marked MI’s second consecutive loss of the season.

Game Overview

The matchup against Gujarat Titans was significant for Hardik Pandya, as it was his first appearance of the IPL 2025 season. Pandya missed the opening fixture due to a suspension carried over from last season for previous slow over-rate indiscretions. This fine against Pandya stands as the first slow over-rate penalty of the IPL 2025 season, which was issued after the ninth game of the season.

Chasing and Fielding Highlights

Mumbai Indians won the toss and opted to bowl first against Gujarat Titans. MI’s bowling attack was notably pace-heavy, featuring prominent players like Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Satyanarayana Raju, and Hardik Pandya himself. Despite their strategic approach, GT’s openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan built a formidable 78-run partnership at the outset. Sai Sudarshan went on to score 63 runs off 41 balls, contributing significantly to GT’s total score of 196/8 in 20 overs.

Mumbai’s Performance

Despite Hardik Pandya’s commendable effort, securing bowling figures of 2/29, Mumbai Indians struggled with their run chase, concluding their innings at 160/6 and thereby falling short of the 197-run target set by Gujarat Titans. The top bowlers for GT included Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj, each taking two wickets which contributed largely to restraining MI’s batting lineup.

Changes in Over-Rate Regulations

The IPL governing body has revised its over-rate policy, removing automatic player bans for multiple violations. In place of suspensions, monetary penalties and potential in-game field restrictions are now enforced.

Conclusion

This incident underlines the IPL’s reinforced stance on maintaining timely game conduct and serves as a crucial check for team captains to adhere to competitive standards. Mumbai Indians, under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, now look forward to regrouping as they strive to improve their standing in the IPL season.