Angkrish Raghuvanshi fined 10% match fees for ‘Abuse of equipment’:Irfan Pathan praises Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh for KKR heroics at Ekana

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been fined 10% of his match fee for breaching the Code of Conduct during the match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The penalty came after a controversial ‘obstruction of the field’ decision by the umpire. Meanwhile, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan praised Sunil Narine and Rinku Singh for their outstanding performances at the Ekana Stadium, where KKR secured a thrilling Super Over victory. Former cricketer Deep Dasgupta also questioned LSG captain Rishabh Pant’s decision-making, particularly for sending an out-of-form Nicholas Pooran to face Narine in the Super Over. His call has sparked debate, as many felt it played a crucial role in LSG’s defeat. Angkrish Raguvanshi penalised 10% of his match fee KKR batter and wicketkeeper Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been fined 20% of his match fee and handed one Demerit Point for breaching Level 1 of the IPL Code of Conduct during Match No. 38 against Lucknow Super Giants. The violation falls under Article 2.2, which relates to the misuse or abuse of cricket equipment or ground fixtures during a match. The incident took place in the fifth over after Raghuvanshi was given out for ‘obstructing the field’. In frustration, he hit the boundary cushion with his bat and later threw his helmet towards the dugout in an aggressive manner. He accepted the offence and agreed to the sanction imposed by the Match Referee. Irfan Pathan hails Narine, Rinku for their heroics at Ekana Stadium Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live’ and Star Sports’ ‘Amul Cricket Live’, JioStar expert Irfan Pathan lauded Sunil Narine and Rinku Singh’s performances in Lucknow. He said, “What stood out was the quality of the delivery that he bowled to dismiss Nicholas Pooran and the calmness with which Sunil Narine executed it. To do this consistently over the years, especially in pressure situations like a Super Over, is remarkable. He has faced challenges in his career, but he’s always found a way to come back stronger.” “You don’t often see teams turning to a spinner in moments like these, but Narine is an exception. His composure, even when others are appealing or under pressure, allows him to focus on the finer details, and once again, he delivered when it mattered most, he added further. On Rinku Singh, he said, “Rinku’s awareness in that final over was outstanding. He anticipated the bowler’s plans, adjusted his position, and created scoring options on both sides of the wicket. Those four sixes completely changed the momentum.” “Without those 26 runs, KKR wouldn’t have won this game. What stood out even more was the responsibility he took. There was a moment when he chose to keep strike, backing himself to finish the over, and he delivered under pressure. That’s what sets him apart, the ability to read situations and take control when it matters most, he concluded. Deep Dasgupta raised questions on LSG’s Super Over decision On sending Nicholas Pooran to face legendary Sunil Narine in the Super Over, former India wicket-keeper batter raised questions on LSG’s think tank. He said, “LSG had two back-to-back games, one against RR and one against KKR, where they should have won. I understand that against Kolkata, it wasn’t an easy pitch to bat on, but you would expect them to chase 155 comfortably. Not being able to chase with that kind of batting order is not good for the morale of their dressing room.” “You know quite well that your batters are unable to score runs and on top of that, you made a huge mistake of sending someone like Nicholas Pooran to bat in the Super Over ahead of Mitchell Marsh, who has been their top run-getter this season. Mitchell Marsh, Himmat Singh and Aiden Markram should have been the ideal three batters to play in the Super Over. Instead, they sent an under-confident Pooran. In T20 cricket, losing close games like these back-to-back can break a team’s season. LSG need to fix their batting order and decision-making quickly, or the Playoffs will slip away,” he concluded further.