IPL 2026: More trouble for KKR; Ajinkya Rahane fined
What's the story
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane has been fined for a slow over-rate during his team's recent match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The penalty comes as KKR continue to struggle in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) edition. They are winless after five matches, with one of them washed out. This marked the first time in IPL history that KKR have failed to win their first five games of a season.
Penalty details
Rahane fined ₹12 lakh
Rahane was reportedly fined ₹12 lakh for his team's slow over-rate, a breach of Article 2.22 of the IPL's Code of Conduct related to minimum over-rate offenses. This was KKR's first offense this season under this rule. Unlike the previous rule, a captain doesn't get a one-match suspension after three over-rate offences in an IPL season.
Match recap
KKR lose to CSK at Chepauk
In their latest outing, the Knight Riders lost to CSK by 32 runs at Chepauk. Being invited to bat first, CSK racked up 192/5 (20 overs) on the back of some impactful knocks. Dewald Brevis's return further bolstered the Yellow Army. Despite a promising performance from their bowlers, KKR's batters failed to deliver, with no top-order player scoring heavily. They were restricted to 160/7.
Captain's reflection
Lack of momentum costs KKR, says Rahane
After the match, Rahane admitted that his team failed to gain momentum at key points in their chase. He said, "No real momentum with the bat. Initially, with our batting, we just got 36 or 37 runs in the Powerplay, I thought that was really important." The KKR skipper also emphasized on the need for a player who could bat deep and control the chase on such surfaces.