Varun Chakravarthy Fined for IPL Code Violation Amid KKR's Playoff Hopes Dwindling

Varun Chakravarthy Faces Penalty in IPL Match

Varun Chakravarthy, the spinner for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has been penalized for violating the IPL Code of Conduct. This incident occurred during the match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Wednesday, where Chakravarthy claimed two wickets. CSK managed to break their seven-match losing streak with a close two-wicket victory, which significantly impacted KKR's chances of qualifying for the IPL 2025 playoffs.

Chakravarthy acknowledged a Level 1 offense and will incur a fine amounting to 25% of his match fee, along with receiving one demerit point, as stated in the official announcement. Despite his impressive bowling figures of 2 wickets for 18 runs in 4 overs, KKR could not secure a win.

The official statement noted:

“Varun Chakravarthy admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction,” 

In a thrilling finish, CSK required 8 runs in the final over, and MS Dhoni hit a six, bringing the score to 180 with just two balls remaining. Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube played crucial roles in this chase, even after CSK lost five wickets early on, including both openers without scoring. Urvil Patel's quickfire 31 runs off 11 balls, along with Brevis's 52 runs off 25 balls and Dube's steady 45 runs off 45 balls, formed a vital 67-run partnership that led CSK to victory.

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KKR had a slow start but managed to reach 179 runs, with notable contributions from Sunil Narine (26 runs off 17 balls), Ajinkya Rahane (48 runs off 33 balls), and Andre Russell (38 runs off 21 balls).

Captain Rahane lost the toss, leading CSK to choose to bowl first. Manish Pandey stepped in for the injured Venkatesh Iyer, while Urvil Patel made his debut for CSK, and Devon Conway returned to the lineup.