Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma has been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate in their opening game of IPL 2022 against Delhi Capitals. Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium on Sunday witnessed Rohit's men continuing the trend of losing the T20 league's openers as Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel turned unlikely heroes to help Delhi chase down a 178-run total.
Lalit (48) and Axar (38) lifted Delhi from a precarious 104-6 with an unbeaten stand of 75 to win with 10 balls to spare. The pair eclipsed Ishan Kishan's unbeaten 81 off 48 balls, which had steered Mumbai to 177-5 after being put in to bat first.
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Rohit, who is yet to steer Mumbai to a win in an IPL opener, received a ₹12 lakh fine following the loss over the dull-witted over-rate.
"The Mumbai Indians have been fined after they maintained a slow over-rate during their TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 match against Delhi Capitals at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on March 27," the IPL said in a media release.
"As it was the team’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma was fined ₹12 lakhs."
{{/usCountry}}"As it was the team’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma was fined ₹12 lakhs."
{{/usCountry}}While Ishan pulverized the opposition with his stroke-play, Rohit played the perfect second fiddle to score 41. For Delhi, Kuldeep Yadav shone on his debut to pluck the prized wickets of Rohit and Kieron Pollard. The chinaman bowler return with figures of 3-18.
In the end, Axar hit a quickfire 17-ball 38 not out while Lalit smashed four boundaries and two sixes to end up with an unbeaten 48. The Capitals duo stitched a match-winning 75-run partnership from 30 balls for the seventh wicket.
"I thought it was a good score. It didn't look like a pitch where you can get 170+ at the start but we played in the middle and finished well. Just didn't bowl according to our plans," said Rohit on the loss.
"We want to win every game. Things didn't go according to plan but that can happen. Just need to stay close as a group and take the learnings. Disappointed with the loss but not the end."