Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Harshit Rana has been slapped with a heavy fine for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct in two offences, an aggressive send-off to Mayank Agarwal in his face being one of them. Rana, who ended up being the hero of KKR's close win against the Sunrisers Hyderabad was fined 60 per cent of his match fees. Rana picked three wickets in the game including Agarwal and the two set batters Heinrich Klaasen and Shahbaz Ahmed in the final over.
"Rana committed two Level 1 offences under Article 2.5 of the IPL's Code of Conduct. He was fined 10 percent and 50 percent of his match fees for the two respective offences," an IPL release stated. "Rana admitted to the two offences 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."
The reprimand might see a bit more reserved Rana in the next few games as he would have to control his emotions despite the games and match situations being emotionally charged.
Rana had gone for a couple of boundaries in his previous over in the powerplay before he finally broke the 60-run opening stand between Agarwal and Abhishek Sharma by dismissing the former and gave a flying kiss send-off in the batter's face. Agarwal too stared Rana back while walking to the pavilion.
KKR bowlers took regular wickets and with 76 runs needed in the last four overs, the game seemed done and dusted before Heinrich Klaasen in one of the best late surge almost pulled off an improbable run-chase for the Sunrisers as he smashed a 25-ball fifty. When 39 runs were needed off the last two overs, Klaasen and Shahbaz smashed 26 off Mitchell Starc's 19th over to bring it down to 13 before Rana kept his calm to get his side home.
