Harshit Rana fined 100 percent of his match fees and handed one-match ban for breaching IPL's code of conduct 

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Harshit Rana has been handed a one-match ban and fined 100 percent of his match fees for breaching the Indian Premier League's (IPL) Code of Conduct. It happened during the clash against the Delhi Capitals (DC) at Eden Gardens on Monday, April 29.

Rana reportedly committed a level one offense under Article 2.5 of the IPL's Code of Conduct. According to the guidelines, the article is related to 'Using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from another player in the Match'.

Harshit Rana gestured Abishek Porel to return to the pavilion after dismissing him in the seventh over of the match. The right-arm pacer, who was hit for three successive boundaries by the batter, responded strongly in his next over by knocking over the stumps.

"Mr Harshit Rana, Bowler, Kolkata Knight Riders has been fined 100 per cent of his match fees and suspended for one match for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during Match 47 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 against Delhi Capitals at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on April 29, 2024," IPL's statement read.

"Rana committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 of the IPL's Code of Conduct. He 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.The player was earlier penalised under the same level and article of the IPL Code of Conduct," the statement continued.

Harshit Rana also looked set to bring out the 'flying kiss' celebration as well but refrained from doing so at the last minute. However, it proved to be in vain as the pacer faced stern punishment from the BCCI anyway.

"Article 2.5 includes any language, action or gesture used by a Player and directed towards a batter upon his/her dismissal which has the potential to provoke an aggressive reaction from the dismissed batter, whether or not any reaction results, or which could be considered to disparage or demean the dismissed batter, regardless of whether the batter him/herself feels disparaged or demeaned (in other words, a 'send-off')," IPL's guidelines read.

"Without limitation, Article 2.5 includes: (a) excessive celebration directed at and in close proximity to the dismissed batter; (b) verbally abusing the dismissed batter; and (c) pointing or gesturing towards the pavilion. Nothing in this Article 2.5 is, however, intended to stop Players celebrating, in an appropriate fashion, the dismissal of the opposing Team's batter."

Harshit Rana is the joint leading wicket-taker for KKR in the ongoing season alongside Sunil Narine with 11 scalps. As a result of this punishment, the pacer will miss KKR's upcoming clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on May 3.

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Harshit Rana had already incurred a fine due to his celebrations in the 2024 IPL

Harshit Rana had already come under fire over his send-offs in the 2024 IPL. During KKR's season opener against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Eden Gardens, Harshit Rana had a staredown with Mayank Agarwal and dished out a flying kiss after dismissing him.

Much like the celebration against Porel, the pacer had done the same after claiming Heinrich Klaasen's wicket in the final over that eventually led to KKR's win in the final over.

For his antics, Rana was found to have committed two separate Level 1 offences and was fined 60 percent of his match fees. Although his exploits against DC were far more subdued, he was handed a bigger punishment because it was his second time breaching the code of conduct in the space of a month.