Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer fined for code of conduct breach against Gujarat Titans

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has been penalised by the IPL governing council and slapped with a hefty fine of INR 12 lakhs following their season opener against Gujarat Titans on Tuesday. Iyer has been charged under Article 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct for maintaining a slow over rate at the New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh.

Article 2.22 of the IPL code of conduct deals with the minimum rate offences.

"Failure by a fielding Team participating in a Match to meet the Minimum Over Rate requirements contained in Appendix 2 constitutes an offence under this Code of Conduct by the relevant Team Captain and each of the Players in that fielding Team," reads the article.

Iyer has become the first skipper in the ongoing edition to be fined for minimum over rate offences. However, Punjab Kings will still retain positive memories from the game as they got over the line by three wickets and five balls to spare.

Chasing 163, Punjab were cruising by the 12th over mark with 110 on the board, with just two wickets down. But they suffered a middle order collapse and lost four wickets after adding just eight more to their total.

But it didn't cost them the game as their overseas recruit, Cooper Connolly, played a composed and mature innings under pressure to take them over the line. Connolly came to bat three and smashed five fours and as many sixes during his 44-ball 72-run knock and remained unbeaten at the end.

Shreyas Iyer survives major injury scare

Iyer was lucky to survive a major injury scare during the game. The incident unfolded on the penultimate delivery of the 12th over when Connolly smashed a pull straight back towards his skipper, and Iyer couldn't get out of the way in the nick of time. The ball struck him on his right glove, and he grimaced in agony.

The physio was quick to rush to his aid, and Iyer was fit to continue after receiving some treatment in the middle. He couldn't last long enough and got out a ball later, clipping a half volley off his pads straight to deep midwicket.