Hardik Pandya admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by Match Referee Rajiv Seth. File picture
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya has been fined 10% of his match fee and handed one demerit point for abuse of cricket equipment after he forcefully knocked the bails of the wicket during a frustrating spell in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata.
Pandya was found to have breached Level 1 of the Code as he “knocked the bails of the wicket with force while walking back to his run-up” during the match that MI lost by four wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday (May 20, 2026). KKR chased down the target of 148 with seven balls to spare, and Pandya returned wicket-less from his two overs while conceding 13 runs.
“Hardik Pandya was found to have breached Article 2.2 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which pertains to ‘abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a Match’,” the IPL said in a statement.
“The incident occurred on the fourth ball of the 10th over of the second innings of the match, when Hardik Pandya, while walking back to his run-up, knocked the bails of the wicket with force.” Accumulation of four to seven demerit points leads to a one-match suspension in the IPL. Pandya admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by Match Referee Rajiv Seth.
Five-time champions MI are already out of contention for a place in the IPL play-offs this year after enduring a horrendous season during which they have won only four games. They will play their last game of the current edition on Sunday (May 24, 2026), against Rajasthan Royals.
Published – May 21, 2026 12:26 pm IST
