IPL 2025: Why was Ishant Sharma fined after the SRH vs GT clash on Sunday?

Ishant Sharma conceded 53 runs without taking a wicket in GT’s win over SRH on Sunday.

Ishant Sharma, Gujarat Titans’ (GT) fast bowler, was fined for violating the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) code of conduct during GT’s IPL 2025 game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday, April 6. In addition to receiving a hefty 25% punishment on his match fees, Sharma also received one demerit point.

Almost 12 hours after the game ended, the IPL made the announcement in a statement on Monday morning. Ishant’s performance against SRH in Hyderabad was poor; he conceded 53 runs in his quota of four overs.

This IPL 2025 season, Ishant is not the first player to receive a fine, as five players have already been sanctioned thus far. In addition to Ishant, this season’s fines have been imposed on Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya, Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag, Lucknow Super Giants spinner Digvesh Rathi, and Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant.

Rathi has been penalized for his frequent notebook celebrations during the 2025 season, while the captains have been fined for continuing to maintain a sluggish over-rate.

Ishant Sharma fined by IPL for abuse of cricketing equipment after the GT vs SRH game

According to an IPL statement, Ishant violated Article 2.2, which prohibits “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment, or fixtures and fittings during a match.” Ishant acknowledged and accepted the sentence imposed by match referee Javagal Srinath for the Level 1 infraction.

“Ishant Sharma, bowler, Gujarat Titans, has been fined 25 percent of his match fees and has also accumulated one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, on Sunday.

Ishant Sharma admitted to the Level 1 offense under Article 2.2 and accepted the match referee’s sanction. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding,” the IPL release said.

Article 2.2 is part of BCCI’s Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials and deals with the “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment, or fixtures and fittings during a match.”

“Article 2.2 includes any action(s) outside the course of normal cricket actions, such as hitting or kicking the wickets, and any action(s) that deliberately (i.e., intentionally), recklessly, or negligently (in either case, even if accidental) results in damage to the advertising boards, boundary fences, dressing room doors, mirrors, windows, and other fixtures and fittings. For example, this offense may be committed, without limitation, when a player swings his/her bat vigorously in frustration and causes damage to an advertising board,” the rule reads.

While Ishant had a rough day, GT’s win against SRH was their third in four games. With the win, GT moved up to second place in the league table with a strong Net Run Rate of +1.031.

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