In a disciplinary blow, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Harshit Rana has been handed a one-match suspension and slapped with a 100 percent fine for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during their recent encounter against Delhi Capitals (DC).
The incident occurred during match 47 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday. Rana was found guilty of a Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 of the IPL’s Code. He admitted to the violation and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction, leading to stringent action.
Despite this setback, Rana has been a standout performer in IPL 2024, impressing with his exceptional bowling prowess that has seen him claim 11 wickets in just eight matches. However, this marks Rana’s second run-in with disciplinary issues, as he had previously been fined 60% of his match fees by the BCCI for giving a flying-kiss send-off to Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batter Mayank Agarwal.
That action drew criticism from fans and cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar, who voiced disappointment over the lack of sportsmanship and decorum. Gavaskar stated, “He should not have done that. Did the batsman do anything to him when he was hitting him for sixes? Cricket can be played without these antics.”
Rana was nonetheless retained and picked two vital blows in the form of KKR’s seven-wicket triumph over Delhi Capitals, coach Abhishek Porel, and Rasikh Salam. Therefore, with ten points on the table, the Kolkata Knight Rider remains the team to beat in Group 1. As Rana misses out on the next game, he will be hoping to learn from this experience and maintain discipline.
