Lucknow, April 2 — Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi has been fined 25% of his match fees and handed a demerit point for his on-field celebration during the IPL 2025 match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Ekana Stadium on Tuesday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) found Rathi guilty of breaching the IPL Code of Conduct with his unusual "letter-writing" gesture after dismissing PBKS batter Priyansh Arya. According to the IPL media advisory, Rathi admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee’s decision, which is final and binding for such breaches.
As Arya, who scored 8 off 9 balls, walked back, Rathi mimed writing a letter — a gesture widely perceived as a personal jibe, given both players have previously played together in the Delhi T20 League.
On-air commentators Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammed Kaif expressed disapproval of the act, calling it unsportsmanlike.
With this win, Punjab Kings moved to second place on the IPL 2025 points table, joining RCB and DC with four points each from two wins in their opening matches.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) found Rathi guilty of breaching the IPL Code of Conduct with his unusual "letter-writing" gesture after dismissing PBKS batter Priyansh Arya. According to the IPL media advisory, Rathi admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee’s decision, which is final and binding for such breaches.
Incident That Sparked Controversy
The moment occurred on the penultimate ball of the third over during PBKS' chase of a 173-run target. Rathi delivered a short and wide ball, which Arya attempted to pull without much footwork, resulting in a top-edge. Shardul Thakurran in from mid-on to take a sharp catch.As Arya, who scored 8 off 9 balls, walked back, Rathi mimed writing a letter — a gesture widely perceived as a personal jibe, given both players have previously played together in the Delhi T20 League.
Celebration Draws Comparisons and Criticism
The celebration quickly drew comparisons to West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams’ notebook celebration, particularly his on-field clash with Virat Kohli during a 2019 series. Match officials took note immediately and had a word with Rathi.On-air commentators Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammed Kaif expressed disapproval of the act, calling it unsportsmanlike.
Match Summary
Despite the controversy, Rathi delivered an impressive bowling performance, finishing with 2 wickets for 30 runs in his full quota of four overs. However, his efforts were not enough to secure a win for LSG, as PBKS chased down the target in just 16.2 overs, sealing an emphatic eight-wicket victory.With this win, Punjab Kings moved to second place on the IPL 2025 points table, joining RCB and DC with four points each from two wins in their opening matches.
Last updated by a enewsx: