Picture Credit: IPL/BCCI
In the past, many experts and fans had put their complaints about the match going well past midnight because of teams taking more than 2 hours to complete their quota of 20 overs. Given the tough Covid circumstances, BCCI had issued strict guidelines for the commencement of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League. According to new guidelines, each team has to finish their 20 over quota inside 90 minutes.
However, Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was fined Rs. 12 Lakhs for a slow over-rate. However, fans on social media withstood their opinion on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli getting excused for the same.
Virat Kohli gets excused for slow over-rate but not MS Dhoni
The second match of the IPL 2021 featured CSK taking on DC. The match finished at 11:11 P.M, which was 14 minutes earlier than the previous match between MI and RCB. However, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were not fined for the slow-over rate.
According to the IPL 2021 Playing Conditions Clause 12.6, each innings has to be completed in 90 minutes, including the strategic time-out intervals. Understandably, this clause doesn’t include any unexpected intervals which are covered in Clause 12.7.
Bowling first in the season opener, RCB took 9 wickets and it took them 111 minutes to complete the innings. Given the match started at 7:30 P.M, according to Clause 12.6, RCB took 21 minutes extra. But Clause 12.7.3 suggests, Virat Kohli and his men completed the overs well within the time slot and therefore, he was not fined.