Varun Chakravarthy Fined for Code of Conduct Breach in IPL Match

Varun Chakravarthy's Penalty in IPL

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been penalized 25% of his match fees and received a demerit point for violating the Indian Premier League (IPL) Code of Conduct during a match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Eden Gardens on Wednesday, as reported by the league's official communication.

The IPL's official statement confirmed the sanction. During the game, Varun was observed giving a send-off gesture to Dewald Brevis, signaling him to leave after taking his wicket.

"Varun Chakravarthy, Bowler for Kolkata Knight Riders, has been fined 25% of his match fees and has also received one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during the match against Chennai Super Kings at Eden Gardens on Wednesday," the IPL's statement read.

Varun acknowledged the Level 1 offense under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee's ruling.

For Level 1 violations of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee's decision is conclusive and must be adhered to.

After winning the toss, KKR chose to bat first. A significant second-wicket partnership of 58 runs between captain Ajinkya Rahane (48 runs off 33 balls, including four fours and two sixes) and Sunil Narine (26 runs off 17 balls, with four boundaries and a six) set a solid pace for KKR. Contributions from Andre Russell (38 runs off 21 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) and Manish Pandey (36* runs off 28 balls, with a four and a six) helped KKR finish their innings at 179/6 in 20 overs.

Noor Ahmed (4/31) led the bowling for CSK, while Anshul Kambhoj and Ravindra Jadeja each took a wicket. In their chase, CSK found themselves struggling at 60/5 within 5.2 overs. However, a counter-attacking 51 from Dewald Brevis (in 25 balls, with four fours and four sixes) and a 67-run partnership with Shivam Dube reignited CSK's hopes. Dube (45 runs off 40 balls, with two fours and three sixes) continued to push the score alongside skipper MS Dhoni, bringing CSK close to victory.

In a dramatic turn, Vaibhav Arora dismissed both Dube and Noor Ahmed in the penultimate over, leaving CSK needing eight runs in the final over with two wickets remaining.

Dhoni (17* runs off 18 balls, including a six) delivered the finish that fans desired, hitting Andre Russell for a six on the first ball of the final over, allowing Anshul to score the winning runs. CSK concluded their innings at 183/8 in 19.4 overs, marking their third victory of the season.

Despite conceding runs, Vaibhav Arora was KKR's standout bowler with figures of 3/48 in three overs. Varun Chakravarthy (2/18) and Harshit Rana (2/43) also contributed to KKR's bowling efforts.

Currently, CSK remains at the bottom of the points table with three wins and nine losses. KKR holds 11 points, with five wins, six losses, and one no result in 12 matches, significantly impacting their playoff prospects as they sit in sixth place.