Why was Riyan Parag fined?
Rajasthan Royals’ acting captain Riyan Parag was fined Rs 12 lakh for slow over rate during his team’s six-run win over Chennai Super Kings in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match. The fine has been imposed under Rule 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which deals with minimum over rate offences.
The Royals scored 182 for nine and restricted the Super Kings to 176 for six. The team, led by Parag, registered its first win of the season at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium. A statement issued by the IPL said that since this was Rajasthan Royals’ first over-rate mistake this season, Parag was fined Rs 12 lakh.
This is not the first time a captain has been fined for slow over rate. Earlier also, many players and captains in the IPL have had to pay heavy fines for violating this rule. There are strict rules in IPL to maintain the over rate, so that the match can end within the stipulated time and the audience can get a balanced experience.
Will the fine money be deducted from Riyan Parag’s pocket?
The biggest question that arises is whether Riyan Parag will have to pay this fine from his own pocket? According to many reports, there is no strict rule about who will pay the fine imposed on the members of IPL teams.
Generally, IPL franchises bear the fine imposed on their players themselves. In many instances it has been seen that this amount is deducted from the match fees of the players, while in some cases the team management pays it from its own funds. The fine imposed during the dispute between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir was also paid by the teams. However, there is no written evidence that this will happen every time.
Apart from this, it has also been seen that some teams include such penalties in the players’ contract, so that the players do not have to face financial penalties. However, it is not confirmed what decision Rajasthan Royals will take in this matter.
Why is a penalty imposed for slow over rate?
The rule of slow over rate in IPL has been made so that the match ends on time and there is no unnecessary delay in the middle of the game. This rule is not limited to IPL only, but also applies to international cricket. In Test cricket, teams are fined five percent of the points and match fee for slow over rate, which can affect the team’s position in the World Test Championship.
Teams and captains can get many types of punishment due to slow over rate in ODI and T20 matches, such as:
- Players can be fined.
- The captain can be suspended.
- Changes in fielding can be punished, making it easier for the opposing team to hit boundaries.
- In some cases, players may also have to lose a large part of the match fee.
- ICC’s over rate rules
According to ICC:
- In Test cricket, the bowling team has to bowl 15 overs per hour.
- In ODIs, 50 overs have to be bowled in 3.5 hours, which is a minimum rate of 14.28 overs per hour.
- In T20, 20 overs have to be bowled in 1 hour 25 minutes, which is equivalent to a rate of 14.11 overs per hour.
These ICC rules have been made to keep cricket more professional and balanced. Due to slow over rate, not only the fun of the game is spoiled, but the spectators also have to wait for a long time. This is the reason why both ICC and IPL have implemented this rule.
Why was the penalty rule changed in IPL?
The BCCI has changed the penalty rules ahead of IPL 2025. Earlier, if a captain was found guilty of repeated offences of slow over rate, he was banned for matches. But now under the new rules, captains will be given demerit points instead of match bans.
All the teams were informed about this new rule during the captains’ meeting held at the BCCI headquarters on March 20. This change was made so that the captains do not face match bans, but they are given the responsibility of maintaining their team’s over rate.
Hardik Pandya’s case played an important role in changing the rule
Last season, Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya was fined for slow over rate. Not only this, Pandya was suspended due to slow over rate in a match against Lucknow Super Giants, due to which he could not play Mumbai Indians’ first match against Chennai Super Kings.
After this incident, the BCCI was forced to reconsider this rule. In the case of Hardik Pandya, it was seen that punishing the captain upsets the balance of the team and has a negative impact on the game. This is why the BCCI decided to implement new rules.
Does the fine affect the income of the players?
The IPL pays a hefty amount to the players, so a fine like Rs 12 lakh does not have a huge impact on them. Still, it is a financial penalty and it requires the player and the team to be cautious.
Some players pay the fine themselves as per their team rules, while in some cases the team bears it. This amount is not a big deal for the team owners, but it is important for the players to follow such rules to keep them focused on their game.
Result
It is likely that Riyan Parag will not have to pay this fine himself, as in most cases the team itself bears such penalties. But it completely depends on the team’s policies and contracts.
The rules regarding penalties and over rate in IPL keep changing from time to time. That is why players and teams should always be aware of these rules so that unnecessary financial penalties can be avoided.
