IPL 2021: MS Dhoni fined Rs 12 lakh for slow over-rate in CSK's clash against DC
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has been fined Rs 12 Lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate in their opening IPL 2021 match against the Delhi Capitals (DC). The Capitals got the better of CSK by 7 wickets in what was a relatively one-sided encounter.
As this was MS Dhoni's first offense this season, he was handed a fine of Rs 12 lakh. According to the IPL 2021 Code of Conduct, the minimum over-rate is 14.1 over/ hour. A second such offense will cost Dhoni Rs 24 lakh. A third offense would bring a fine of Rs 30 lakh along with a one-game ban.
"As it was his team's first offence of the season under the IPL's Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Mr Dhoni was fined Rs 12 lakh," a statement from the IPL read.
CSK, in fact, only bowled 18.4 overs as the Delhi Capitals chased the target of 189 with ease, thanks to Shikhar Dhawan (85) & Prithvi Shaw's (72) blistering opening partnership.
MS Dhoni also failed to get going with the bat as the Chennai skipper was bowled for a second-ball duck off Avesh Khan's bowling.
MS Dhoni reacts to his team's first loss in IPL 2021
After the heavy defeat, MS Dhoni wasn't pleased with his bowlers' performance and felt they bowled quite a few 'boundary deliveries'.
"We could have done better (with our bowling). The batters were hitting over the top; there were some boundary deliveries, where the execution wasn't nice. The bowlers will learn in the coming days,” MS Dhoni said in the post-match presentation.
CSK are set to play their first five games of the season at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Chennai skipper believes they will need to look at a total of 200 to be competitive given the amount of dew that comes in during the second half of the game.
"The opposition have half an hour in a 7:30 start when the pitch is really tacky, and the ball stops a bit, so we need to get 15-20 runs extra to be safe. If we get dew consistently, then 200 will be a must on a pitch like this," Dhoni added.
CSK will be keen to bounce back when they lock horns with Punjab Kings next on April 16.