Kolkata: Virat Kohli has had to pay for his angry outburst at the umpires during the IPL 2024 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on Sunday evening.
The RCB and Team India superstar was fined 50 per cent of his match fee for showing dissent after being declared out to what he thought should have been no-ball.
“Kohli committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.8 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct. He admitted to the offence and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding,” IPL said in a statement.
RCB captain Faf du Plessis was fined Rs 12 lakh in the same match for an over-rate offence.
But it was the Kohli dismissal which triggered a debate.
Chasing 223 for victory, Kohli got RCB off to a roaring start by smashing 2 sixes and a four off the first six balls he faced. In an anti-climax, he was then taken aback by a high full toss and was caught-and-bowled by Harshit Rana off a leading edge.
The on-field umpires asked the third umpire to check whether it was a legal delivery or a above waist-high no-ball.
It was a close call, but since Kohli was standing outside the crease and the ball was dipping, the third umpire ruled it a fair delivery, hence the batsman was out.
A furious Kohli made his feelings clear by walking towards the umpires and then smashing his bat and gloves while stomping back to the pavilion.
Watch the incident in the video shared widely on X:
Angry mode of Virat Kohli 🔥
Third umpire❌️
Third class umpire ✅️#RCBvsKKR #KKRvRCB #RCBvKKR #ನಮ್ಮRCB pic.twitter.com/IzMODMrdTI— KICCHA (@m_nayaka_28) April 21, 2024
Kohli, who made 18 off 7 balls on Sunday, is the holder of the Orange Cap with a tally of 379 runs in 8 matches.
Despite Kohli’s superb form, RCB are struggling big time in IPL 2024.
They have lost 7 of their 8 matches, and are all but out of reckoning for a playoff berth.
