RCB head coach Andy Flower has been penalised for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s match against the Mumbai Indians in Raipur on Sunday. The former Zimbabwe batter was found guilty of a Level 1 offence under the league’s player and support staff rules and handed a fine equivalent to 15% of his relevant match earnings.
Penalty for Andy Flower: what the Code of Conduct says
Flower, 58, was ruled in breach of Article 2.3 of the IPL Code of Conduct, a clause tied to the “use of an audible obscenity during a match.” After the incident was reviewed, the head coach admitted the offence and accepted the sanction set by the match referee, Amit Sharma.
- Andy Flower was charged for breaching Level 1 of the IPL Code of Conduct.
- The specific provision breached was Article 2.3, covering audible obscenity during play.
- He received a 15% deduction from his applicable match fees.
- Flower accepted the penalty after admitting to the offence.
The moment in the RCB innings that led to the offence
The incident occurred on the second ball of the 17th over of RCB’s batting innings. Krunal Pandya lofted the ball, and Mumbai Indians fielders Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir struggled to take it cleanly as the play developed into a potential boundary moment.
Umpires took time to determine whether the ball should be ruled a six. Naman, positioned close to the boundary area, threw the ball thinking he was in line with the boundary, but Tilak couldn’t collect it. Replays indicated that Naman had not been standing on the boundary cushion, meaning a maximum was not awarded.
- Krunal Pandya’s lofted shot created a boundary decision in the 17th over.
- Umpires delayed the call on whether it should be six or not.
- Naman Dhir threw the ball expecting he was near the boundary cushion.
- Tilak Varma failed to secure the catch attempt.
- Replays showed Naman was not on the boundary cushion, so no maximum was given.
Flower’s argument and how the sanction was applied
Despite the ruling, Flower was visibly unhappy and was seen arguing with the fourth umpire. The dispute between Flower and the officials—linked to the RCB support staff involvement—was treated as part of the matter that resulted in the final punishment.
Following the match review process, the head coach’s admission and acceptance of the referee’s decision brought the disciplinary outcome to a close.
RCB vs MI: final-ball thriller in Raipur
On the field, RCB emerged victorious in a tense finish in Raipur. The defending champions beat the Mumbai Indians by two wickets, with Krunal Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar playing decisive roles as the chase reached its climax.
How the chase was finished
With the final three deliveries requiring nine runs, Bhuvneshwar struck a maximum off Raj Angad Bawa to tighten the equation. On the last ball, Rasikh Salam Dar and Bhuvneshwar completed two runs, ensuring RCB sealed the match.
- Nine runs were required from the last three balls.
- Bhuvneshwar hit a six off Raj Angad Bawa in the penultimate over phase.
- On the final delivery, Rasikh Salam Dar and Bhuvneshwar ran two to finish the chase.
Player of the Match and Purple Cap impact
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was named Player of the Match after a four-wicket haul, followed by a game-shaping six in the final over of RCB’s chase. His performance also propelled him to the top of the Purple Cap standings.
- Bhuvneshwar took four wickets to earn Player of the Match.
- He struck the defining maximum in RCB’s final over of the chase.
- His haul took him to the top of the Purple Cap leaderboard.
Points table: RCB rise, MI exit the playoff race
With the win, RCB moved to first place in the points table, collecting 14 points from 11 matches. The result also confirmed the Mumbai Indians’ elimination from the playoff race.
- RCB finished the match on 14 points from 11 games.
- RCB moved to the top of the points table.
- MI were knocked out of playoff contention.
