This comes after a viral video of the match sparked controversy where members in the squad and support staff in the dugout of five-time champions were seen allegedly providing illegal assistance to batter Suryakumar Yadav in asking for a review.
During the game, in the 15th over of the MI’s innings, Arshdeep Singh’s delivery was full and way outside off-stump, very close to the tramline. Suryakumar, then playing at 67 in 47 deliveries, tried chasing it. The umpire deemed it a legal delivery. However, the camera shifted the attention to MI dugout, where the head coach, Mark Boucher, was seen gesturing to Suryakumar that it was a wide and Tim David, along with the batting coach Kieron Pollard, was seen urging the batter to take a review, by making the ‘T’ sign using his hands, as per Wisden.
According to Wisden, the Article 2.15 (b) of the IPL Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials, a player playing on the field is forbidden to “seek assistance from any person off the field of play in order to decide whether to request a referral to the TV Umpire”.
David and Pollard committed a Level 1 offence. Both of them were each fined 20 per cent of their respective match fees.
Both admitted to the offence and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction. For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding.