Rajasthan Royals’ skipper, Sanju Samson, has been fined 30% of his match fees for breaching the IPL’s code of conduct during the recent clash against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Samson was found guilty of a Level 1 offence under Article 2.8 of the code of conduct, related to showing dissent at an umpire’s decision. He admitted to the offence and accepted the match referee’s sanction.
During the match, third umpire Michael Gough adjudged Samson out after reviewing replays of a contentious catch taken by Shai Hope along the boundary in the 16th over of Rajasthan’s chase of 222 runs. This decision significantly shifted the momentum in favor of Delhi, as Samson was dismissed on 86 off 46 balls.
Following his dismissal, Rajasthan’s innings collapsed from 162 for 3 to 201 for 8 by the end of 20 overs, resulting in a 20-run loss to Delhi Capitals.
In the crucial 16th over bowled by Mukesh Kumar, Samson attempted to clear the long-on boundary but failed to get enough elevation, leading to Hope’s exceptional catch.
Upon seeing the OUT decision on the big screen, Samson stood in disbelief and engaged in an argument with the on-field umpires. RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara was also visibly frustrated with Gough’s decision, arguing that the replay angle used by the third umpire did not conclusively prove that Hope took the catch without his right shoe touching the boundary rope.
Despite the setback, Delhi’s captain Rishabh Pant efficiently led his team to victory, keeping their playoffs hopes alive with a 20-run win. Rajasthan, missing out on an opportunity to secure their playoffs spot, will face the Super Kings in Chennai in their next match.
Isha Pannu