Hardik Pandya to be Last Captain to Serve Ban For Slow Over-Rate as BCCI Tweaks Punishment For Offence in IPL 2025

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Hardik Pandya will be the last captain to serve a ban for slow over-rate in Indian Premier League (IPL) after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tweaked the punishment for the offence, starting from the 2025 season.

Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya had received a one-match ban after the team's last encounter in IPL 2024 against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for maintaining a slow over-rate. As a result, Pandya will miss MI's IPL 2025 opener against rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Pandya will be the second player to face the severe punishment after Rishabh Pant, who also served a ban during his stint as captain for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024. The duo received the one match ban for the team's third over-rate offence in the 2024 edition.

However, as per reports the captains in the IPL will not be banned for over-rate offences and instead will be docked demerit points. The call was taken at the captains' meeting in Mumbai on Thursday (March 20).

"A Level 1 offence will lead to deduction of 25 to 75 percent match fees with demerit points which will be calculated for next three years. Level 2 offence if serious will result in four demerit points," PTI quoted a BCCI source as saying.

"For every four demerit points accumulated, the match referee can impose a penalty, either in the form of a 100 percent fine or additional demerit points. These demerit points could convert into a match ban in the future but for slow overrate there won't be a match ban."

BCCI also made several alteration to rules, introduced a second ball for second innings rule and also retained the most debated Impact Substitute for the upcoming IPL 2025, which begins on Saturday (March 22) with Kolkata Knight Riders starting their title defence against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.