IPL 2019: MS Dhoni Charged For for Breaching The IPL Code Of Conduct

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings registered a dramatic 4-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals on Thursday. Fortunes swung from one side to another before the defending champions came out on top. Asked to bat first, the Royals were off to a stuttering start. Ajinkya Rahane and Jos Buttler did manage to add 31 runs for the first wicket but the floodgates opened up once the former departed.  At one stage, the Royals were reeling at 78 for 5.

Ben Stokes (28) and the lower-order batsman then scored some handy runs to help the Royals put up a competitive total of 151 for 7. With much not on the board, the Royals needed a solid start with the bat and they did get one.  Dhawal Kulkarni dismissed the dangerous Shane Watson for a duck in the very first over.  In the next over, Suresh Raina was run out before Jaydev Unadkat dismissed Faf du Plessis to reduce the defending champions to 15 for 3.

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9 runs later, Ben Stokes took a stunner to send back Kedar Jadhav packing.

But before the Royals could make further inroads in the game, MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu brought the chase on track by adding 95 runs. Stokes ended the stand by dismissing Rayudu but Dhoni went on to wage a lone battle. The equation was finally down to 18 from the last over and Ravindra Jadeja somehow managed to hit the first ball for six despite losing his balance and falling onto the ground. Stokes then knocked over Dhoni in the third delivery to leave 8 off 3.

Just when we thought the drama was over, the main umpire signalled a no ball in the fourth delivery and then all of a sudden backed out. It led to wild scenes as the ever-calm Dhoni stormed onto the pitch to vent his anger. Mitchell Santner then kept his calm and hit a six on the final ball to pull off a spectacular win for his team.

Following the game,  MS Dhoni, who scored 58,  was charged for breaching IPL’s code of conduct. The Super Kings skipper, who registered his 100th win in the IPL as captain, admitted to the level 2 offence. He was fined 50% of his match-fees for the incident.

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Article 2.20 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct refers to actions that are contrary to the spirit of the game. The 50% fine levied on Dhoni is the minimum sanction for a Level 2 offence for the first time.