IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya fined for maintaing slow over-rate in the GT vs MI clash

Hardik Pandya kicked off his IPL 2025 game with the GT vs MI clash in Ahmedabad on Saturday. With Pandya’s return to the league came the return of the slow over-rate fine. The MI skipper sat out of the team's season opener, the CSK vs MI IPL 2025 match, due to an over-rate ban that carried forward from IPL 2024 to this season. As per the earlier set guidelines, the captain is ruled out of a game after maintaining a slow over-rate in three matches, along with getting fined for the offence. However, in a transition introduced ahead of IPL 2025, the captaincy ban was lifted, with only the fine remaining as a way to mitigate the hindrance.

Hardik Pandya became the first captain to receive a fine for a slow over-rate in IPL 2025. The skipper returned to his leading spot for the GT vs MI clash, the second game for the five-time champions in this edition. Mumbai Indians arrived in Ahmedabad after enduring a defeat against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings in the campaign opener at Chepauk. Looking for their first win of the season, MI bowled first in Ahmedabad against the home team, Gujarat Titans. The combination did not feature the star spinner of the CSK vs MI show, Vignesh Puthur. Instead, Mumbai played Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Although MI clinched consistent wickets, GT, powered by another half-century from Sai Sudharsan, raced to a 196-run total, which eventually proved too steep a hill for MI to climb.

Barring an intent-filled knock by Suryakumar Yadav, MI batters struggled on the slow pitch at the venue, as Rohit Sharma failed once again. Hardik Pandya, playing his first match of the season, also proved ineffective in the chase as MI faltered by a margin of 36 runs. The GT vs MI IPL 2025 match marked the first victory of the season for GT, who had lost their campaign opener against Punjab Kings. Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, are yet to get on the winning track as they desperately look to redeem their stature in the league. Meanwhile, following the match, it was updated that the MI skipper would be fined for maintaining a slow over-rate in the opening innings of the game. With the GT vs MI match being the first offence, Pandya was fined ₹12 lakh as per the IPL Code of Conduct.

"As this was his team's first offence of the season under Article 2.2 of the IPL's Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Pandya was fined Rs 12 lakhs," the IPL statement read.