Andy Flower Penalized for Conduct Breach During IPL Match
RCB Coach Andy Flower Fined for Code of Conduct Violation
Andy Flower, the head coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), has been penalized 15% of his match fee due to a breach of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Code of Conduct. This incident occurred during a high-stakes match against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Raipur on Sunday.
According to an IPL statement, "Andy Flower, Head Coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has been fined 15% of his applicable match fee for violating Level 1 of the IPL's Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials."
The breach involved article 2.3 of the IPL's Code, which pertains to the "use of audible obscenity during a match." This incident took place during the 17.2 over when Flower was seen arguing aggressively with the fourth umpire.
In a notable moment during the match, Krunal Pandya hit a high ball that was caught by Naman Dhir, who managed to parry it back to Tilak Varma before crossing the boundary. Despite the catch, Tilak showed no reaction, leading to a no-run call after reviewing whether it was a six. Flower's animated response was evident following this delivery. He accepted the penalty imposed by Match Referee Amit Sharma.
RCB Achieves Dramatic Last-Ball Victory
In the match itself, RCB won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision that initially paid off as MI struggled to 28/3 during the powerplay, thanks to a stellar performance from Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Naman Dhir (47 runs off 32 balls, including five fours and two sixes) and Tilak Varma (57 runs off 42 balls, with three fours and two sixes) formed a crucial 82-run partnership, helping MI reach a total of 166/7 in their 20 overs.
Bhuvneshwar was the standout bowler for RCB, taking 4 wickets for 23 runs, while Josh Hazlewood (1/33) and Romario Shepherd (1/18 in three overs) contributed effectively.
During RCB's chase, they faced early setbacks, losing Virat Kohli for a second consecutive golden duck and slipping to 39/3, with Deepak Chahar (2/33) controlling the game.
Krunal Pandya then stabilized the innings with a 55-run partnership alongside Jacob Bethell (26 runs off 27 balls) and another 38-run partnership with Jitesh Sharma (18 runs), reaching a commendable fifty.
However, crucial wickets from Corbin Bosch (4/26) and Allah Ghazanfar (1/33) saw RCB reduced to 149/7 in 18 overs. Romario Shepherd's struggle against Jasprit Bumrah (0/20) left RCB needing 12 runs in the final over.
A series of extras from Raj Angad Bawa and a six from Bhuvneshwar eased the pressure, and despite Romario's dismissal, RCB clinched a thrilling last-ball victory, with Rasikh Salam Dar (3*) scoring the winning runs.
With this win, RCB stands at the top of the points table with seven victories and four losses, accumulating 14 points. Meanwhile, MI is positioned ninth with three wins and eight losses, having been eliminated from playoff contention alongside Lucknow Super Giants.