Friday, May 24, proved to be a disappointing day for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) as they faced a crucial loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 2 of the IPL 2024 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The Royals, who were the inaugural champions of the IPL, fell short by 36 runs, failing to chase down a target set by the Sunrisers. Adding to their woes, Rajasthan’s Shimron Hetmyer faced disciplinary action from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct.
Hetmyer, a key player for the Royals, was dismissed in the 14th over by SRH’s Abhishek Sharma. Frustration got the better of him, and he reacted by smashing the stumps, an action deemed unsportsmanlike. The 27-year-old was found guilty of a Level 1 offence under the IPL Code of Conduct and was fined 10% of his match fees after admitting to the infraction. This incident further compounded the difficulties for Rajasthan in an already challenging match.
“Shimron Hetmyer of the Rajasthan Royals has been fined 10 per cent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during Qualifier 2 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on May 24,” read a statement from the BCCI.
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The sanction was imposed by Javagal Srinath, former India pacer and the match referee for Qualifier 2. According to the BCCI’s statement, “Hetmyer committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.2 of the IPL 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.”
Shimron Hetmyer slapped with fine for breaching IPL Code of Conduct during Qualifier 2 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad https://t.co/GWMZnz9ige
— Dainika Khabar (@dainikakhabar) May 25, 2024
Although the BCCI did not specify the exact details of Hetmyer’s breach, it is evident that his reaction to being bowled out at a critical point in the game was the primary reason for the penalty. Hetmyer has been one of the top finishers for the Royals, and his presence at the crease might have altered the outcome had he stayed longer.
Earlier in the day, Sunrisers Hyderabad set a formidable target of 176, bolstered by a 34-ball fifty from Heinrich Klaasen and a quickfire 37 off 15 balls by Rahul Tripathi. Trent Boult and Avesh Khan performed admirably with the ball for Rajasthan, each taking three wickets, while Sandeep Sharma added two more to the tally. In their response, the Royals struggled despite a valiant effort from Dhruv Jurel, who remained unbeaten with a fighting knock of 56 off 35 balls.
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However, the wickets continued to tumble around him, leading to the team’s final score of 139/7 in 20 overs. For the Sunrisers, Shahbaz Ahmed shone with the ball, claiming 3/23 in his four overs, while Abhishek Sharma, in his first four-over spell of the season, took two wickets. Captain Pat Cummins and T Natarajan also contributed with one wicket each, ensuring a comprehensive victory for the Orange Army.
