MI vs LSG: Rishabh Pant, the captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), has been fined following a breach of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Code of Conduct during his team’s clash against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
LSG were penalized for maintaining a slow over-rate, leading to Pant being fined INR 24 lakh. The rest of the playing XI, including impact player David Miller, will be fined INR 6 lakh or 25% of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser.
This was Pant’s second offence under Article 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct for minimum over-rate violations.
Despite the fine, Lucknow Super Giants could not avoid defeat in the match, as they were beaten by 54 runs. Batting first, Mumbai posted a challenging total of 215/7, thanks to half-centuries from Suryakumar Yadav and Ryan Rickelton. Pant’s decision to bowl first did not yield the desired results as the Lucknow bowlers struggled to contain Mumbai’s batsmen.
When asked about his decision to bowl first, Pant defended it, saying, “We feel as a team it was the right decision for us to bowl first because most of the time, we back our batting. Yes, bowlers, we want to give the best conditions for them, but today wasn’t our day.”
He added, “The other team is playing good cricket. You’ve got to give credit to them instead of just looking to question yourself. As a team, the dip is there, but we can figure it out because we have a break at the right time. Keeping it very simple, not thinking about it too much.”
In their chase of 216, Lucknow Super Giants never truly got going. Jasprit Bumrah put in an outstanding performance, claiming four wickets as LSG were bowled out for just 161 runs. Ayush Badoni top-scored for his team with 35 runs, but Pant’s poor form with the bat continued. He was dismissed for just four runs, attempting a reverse sweep off the bowling of Will Jacks, only to hand a simple catch to Karn Sharma at short third man.
Pant’s struggles in IPL 2025 have been notable, with the captain managing only 110 runs in 10 matches, including a solitary half-century against Chennai Super Kings. As it stands, Lucknow Super Giants are in seventh place on the points table, and they will next face Punjab Kings on Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Dharamsala.
Despite the loss and his own lack of runs, Pant remains optimistic about his team’s prospects, expressing confidence that they will bounce back in the upcoming matches.