IPL 2026: MI coach Kieron Pollard fined for this reason
What's the story
Mumbai Indians's batting coach Kieron Pollard has been slapped with a fine of 15% of his match fee for violating the IPL Code of Conduct. The fine was imposed after he was found guilty of using abusive language against the fourth umpire during a tense six-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in Dharamsala. The incident occurred in the 19th over of the second innings during Mumbai's match against Punjab on Thursday night.
Admission
Breach of Article 2.3
Pollard has accepted the sanction imposed by match referee Pankaj Dharmani. He was found guilty of breaching Article 2.3 of the Code of Conduct, which pertains to the use of an audible obscenity during a match. This isn't the first time Pollard has been penalized for such a breach in his long association with Mumbai Indians.
Match impact
Punjab Kings lose their 5th successive match
The disciplinary incident took place during a nail-biting last-ball thriller in Dharamsala, where Mumbai Indians won by six wickets. The defeat has dealt a major blow to Punjab Kings's playoff hopes as they have now lost five consecutive matches. They need to win both their remaining games to keep their top-four aspirations alive.
Chase details
Tilak Varma powers Mumbai Indians to victory
Chasing a target of 201, Ryan Rickelton gave Mumbai Indians a flying start with an explosive 23-ball 48. Despite Rohit Sharma's slow innings, Rickelton took on the Punjab bowlers. However, Punjab made a comeback with three wickets for 57 runs between the seventh and 13th overs. Yuzvendra Chahal bowled brilliantly to dismiss Rohit but Tilak Varma anchored the chase with an unbeaten 33-ball-75. MI hence crossed the line in the final over.
Innings summary
How did the match pan out?
Punjab Kings batted first and crossed the 200-run mark for the eighth time this season. Prabhsimran Singh scored a half-century, sharing a 50-run opening stand with Priyansh Arya and another 57 runs with Cooper Connolly. However, Shardul Thakur brought Mumbai Indians back into the game with a four-wicket haul, including well-set batsmen Prabhsimran and stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer.