Hardik Pandya to miss his first match in IPL 2025, Here’s why

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Hardik Pandya

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season was a challenging one for Hardik Pandya. Unfortunately, its impact has now spilt over into the 2025 season.

Following their 10th defeat in IPL 2024 against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya. Additionally, he has been banned from playing in MI’s first match of IPL 2025. The other players have been fined Rs 12 lakhs or 50 per cent of their match fees, whichever is lesser.

“Hardik Pandya, the Mumbai Indians captain, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over rate during their IPL 2024 match against Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on May 17,” a media release stated.

“As it was his team’s third offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Pandya was fined Rs 30 lakh and banned from playing the team’s next match,” the release added.

The penalty stems from MI’s failure to complete their overs within the stipulated time frame. This marks their third offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct related to minimum over-rate violations.

A season to forget for Hardik Pandya

Hardik’s IPL 2024 journey was indifferent. His team finished at the bottom of the table with 8 points and a net run rate of -0.318. Despite accounting for 11 scalps, his batting form faltered, scoring only 216 runs from 14 matches.

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Hardik Pandya now faces a significant task as the vice-captain of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

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