Why were Iyer and Hardik fined after PBKS, MI's slow over-rate in Qualifier 2?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Shreyas Iyer fined INR 24 lakhs for slow over-rate.
- Hardik Pandya fined INR 30 lakhs for repeated offenses.
- Rain delay of over two hours impacted match timing.
- PBKS successfully chased 204 runs with six balls remaining.
- First final appearance for PBKS since 2014.
Delhi, June 2 (NationPress) Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer and Mumbai Indians leader Hardik Pandya have both faced fines due to their teams' slow over-rates during the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Since it was PBKS' second over-rate violation this season, Iyer was penalized INR 24 lakhs. The other team members were fined either INR 6 lakhs or 25 percent of their match fees, whichever amount was lower.
Conversely, this marked MI's third offense, leading to Hardik being fined INR 30 lakhs. The remaining team members faced fines of INR 12 lakhs or 50 percent of their match fees, depending on which sum was lesser.
According to the IPL statement, "Captain Shreyas Iyer of Punjab Kings has been fined for his team's slow over rate during Qualifier 2 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. This was his team’s second violation of the season per the IPL’s Code of Conduct regarding minimum over-rate offenses, resulting in a fine of INR 24 lakhs. Each member of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player, received individual fines of either INR 6 lakhs or 25 percent of their match fees, whichever was lesser," it noted.
"Similarly, Hardik Pandya, captain of Mumbai Indians, has also been fined due to his team's slow over rate. This being his team’s third such offense this season, he was fined INR 30 lakhs. The rest of the Playing XI members, including the Impact Player, were fined either INR 12 lakhs or 50 percent of their match fees, whichever was lower," the statement further elaborated.
The match experienced a delay of over two hours because of rain in Ahmedabad, just after the toss, with new regulations this year permitting playoff games to commence late by two hours.
Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Naman Dhir showcased impressive performances, enabling MI to set a challenging score of 203/6. In response, PBKS successfully chased down this total with more than an over to spare, securing their spot in the IPL 2025 final with a commanding five-wicket victory.
Captain Iyer shone brightly with a remarkable 87 not out off 41 balls, steering PBKS to a successful 204-run chase with six balls remaining.
PBKS now advances to the final alongside RCB, marking their first appearance since 2014 and the first time since 2016 that a new champion will be crowned.