IPL 2016: RCB captain Virat Kohli facing danger of 1-match ban

Bengaluru, May 5: It is not the best of the times for Virat Kohli as the captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2016 (IPL 9) Twenty20 tournament.

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RCB are struggling with just 2 wins from 7 matches and are placed at the 7th spot in the 8-team league. Kohli is a worried man. However, his batting has been top-class. He is currently the leading run scorer with 433 runs from 7 innings. He holds the Orange Cap.

With RCB bowlers failing to complete overs in the stipulated time, Kohli the skipper is closer to facing a one-match suspension after committing 2 Minimum Over Rate offences.

The Delhi right-hander was fined Rs 12 lakh and then Rs 24 lakh for 2 separate over rate offences. Now, another one offence he will be not only penalised with Rs 30 lakh fine but also a ban from 1 IPL game.

According to IPL's Code of Conduct for Players, "For the third and each subsequent offence (Over rate) in a Season as Captain of the bowling Team, the Captain will be fined US$50,000 and banned from playing in the Team's next League Match."

Kohli was first fined Rs 12 lakh for over rate offence against Rising Pune Supergiants on April 22. Later, he had to pay Rs 24 lakh for the same against Kolkata Knight Risers on May 2.

Here is what the Code of Conduct says

4. Applicable Sanctions for a Minimum Over Rate Offence

4.1 The principles set out in Article 7 (regarding Sanctions) shall be applied in full except that:

4.1.1 in order to determine the sanction that is to be imposed in each case, the Match Referee must first consider whether the Team has previously been found guilty of the same offence under the Code of Conduct in any previous Match during the same Season. The IPL Chief Operating Officer will maintain a register of all reports of alleged Minimum Over Rate breaches of the Code of Conduct. The register must record the outcome of any hearings and appeals including any sanctions imposed.

4.1.2 once the Match Referee has established whether this is a repeat offence, then he/shall apply the mandatory sanctions that are set out in Article 4.2, below.

4.2 For the purpose of Minimum Over Rate Offences only, the table at Article 7.3 of the Code of Conduct shall be replaced with the following:

4.2.1 for the first offence as Captain of the bowling Team in a Season the Captain of the bowling Team will be fined US$20,000;

4.2.2 for the second offence in a Season as Captain of the bowling Team then the Captain will be fined US$40,000;

4.2.3 for the second offence by the Team in a Season, each member of the playing XI in the Team for the relevant Match (excluding the Captain) will be fined the lesser of (a) US$10,000 and (b) 25% of his Match Fee;

4.2.4 for the third and each subsequent offence in a Season as Captain of the bowling Team, the Captain will be fined US$50,000 and banned from playing in the Team's next League Match;

4.2.5 for the third and each subsequent offence in a Season by the Team each member of the playing XI in the Team for the relevant Match (excluding the Captain) will be fined the lesser of (a) US$20,000 and (b) 50% of his Match Fee;

4.2.6 in the event that a Captain, having being found guilty of one or more offences under this Article 4.2 of this Appendix 2 during the Season, relinquishes the captaincy but remains in the playing XI, he will (unless BCCI has in writing confirmed the change of captaincy) continue to receive sanctions as per Articles 4.2.2 and 4.2.4 (as relevant) and not as per Articles 4.2.3 and 4.2.5.

Minimum Over Rates

The minimum over rate to be achieved by the fielding Team in Matches shall be as prescribed in the Match Playing Conditions such that the 20th over commences within 1 hour and 25 minutes of the start of the innings ("Minimum Over Rate")

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