IPL 2024: Why KKR fast bowler Harshit Rana has been banned for 1 match ?

Harshit Rana picked up two wickets against DC in the IPL 2024 match in Kolkata.

In a huge setback for the two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), their in-form pacer Harshit Rana has been handed a one-match ban in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The right-arm speedster will miss KKR’s next league game against five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 3.

Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata are having a phenomenal run in the ongoing IPL 2024. After nine matches in the league stage, they have 12 points to their name with six wins and NRR of 1.096, which is the highest among all teams. KKR are currently positioned second in the IPL 2024 standings.

However, apart from their batting success in the ongoing 17th edition of the IPL, young pacer Harshit has been leading the Kolkata bowling line-up till now. He has overshadowed one of the greatest left-arm pacers Mitchell Starc, who is also playing along with him.

So far, Rana has taken 11 wickets in just eight league games and has a best figure of 3/33. His economy is 9.79, with an average of 24.91 until now. The right-arm pacer is also the leading wicket-taker for KKR in the ongoing season. However, now he has been banned for one match.

Why will Harshit Rana miss the next match against MI in the IPL 2024?

During KKR’s last match against the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the iconic Eden Gardens on April 29, pacer Rana gave a fiery send-off to the DC batter Abhishek Porel after uprooting his stumps. The incident happened during the seventh over of the first innings when Rana bowled a length ball that angled in towards Porel from around the wicket.

Porel, who shuffled across to his stumps in aiming to play a lap shot over wicket-keeper’s head, missed it completely as the ball shattered his stumps. Soon after her dismissal, Rana was seen celebrating aggressively.

On April 30, Rana was suspended for a match and fined 100 percent of his match fee for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct for the second time in the ongoing tournament. Rana was found to have committed a level 1 offence under Article 2.5 of the code of conduct which deals with Using language, actions or gestures which could provoke an aggressive reaction from another player in the Match.

Earlier in the ongoing tournament, during the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rana was handed a 60 percent fine for sending off SRH opener Mayank Agarwal aggressively and blowing him a flying kiss.

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