Delhi Capitals assistant coach Pravin Amre has been suspended for a match, while Amre, captain Rishabh Pant and allrounder Shardul Thakur have been sanctioned monetarily for violating Code of Conduct during Friday night’s Indian Premier League (IPL) versus Rajasthan Royals at Wankhede Stadium.
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According to a statement issued by IPL on April 23 morning, Pant and Amre have been fined 100% of match-fees for the game while Thakur was fined 50% of his match-fees for the game. The statement added that each of the trio “admitted to the offence… and accepted the sanction” imposed on them after the match officials charged them with various charges for their inappropriate behaviour.
During the last over of the chase, Rovman Powell heaved a hip-high full toss by Obed McCoy into the midwicket stands for his third consecutive six to bring down a six-ball 36-run target at the start of the over to 18 required off three balls.
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The full-toss prompted demand of a no-ball above waist height by Powell and his partner Kuldeep Yadav. With umpires Nitin Menon and Nikhil Patwardhan standing firm on their ground, the Capitals dug-out started furious gestures asking the umpires to refer it to television umpire.
With the rules having no such provision, Menon, India’s only umpire in world cricket’s elite panel, turned down the request. It first prompted Pant to call the batters back while Thakur and others were livid at the umpires.
Just as Shane Watson — the other assistant coach who was in charge of the team along with Amre in the absence of head coach Ricky Ponting (quarantining with a member of his family contracting COVID-19) — calmed things down, Amre on the insistence of Pant, sprinted towards Menon in the middle.
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It was the second instance of a member of a dug-out trying to influence the umpires during an IPL game. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, then Chennai Super Kings captain, had also charged on the field against Rajasthan Royals in 2019.
While Pant indirectly hinted at umpires being at fault during his post-match interview with the host broadcaster, Watson admitted the Capitals’ camp shouldn’t have crossed the line.
“Obviously, it wasn’t right, but what happened wasn’t also right. It was heat of the moment, can’t do much about it,” Pant said. “I think it was fault of both the sides, not only us, because throughout the tournament we have been seeing some good umpiring. I thought we could have done pretty well.”
Watson admitted in the post-match press conference that the manner in which the Capitals reacted was unacceptable. “It is very disappointing what happened in that last over. Unfortunately, we were in that position in the game because we were not able to put things together for long enough throughout that game up until that point,” Watson said.
“In the end, the one thing at the Delhi Capitals you don’t stand for is what happened. The umpires’ decision, whether it’s right wrong, we have to accept it. Someone running on to the field certainly we can’t accept. It’s not good enough.