Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma was fined 25% of his match fees and handed one demerit point after the IPL Governing Council found him guilty of breaching the Code of Conduct during Thursday’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. Sharma admitted to a Level 1 offence under Article 2.3, which pertains to using audible obscenities during the match.
Level 1 Code of Conduct Breach by Abhishek Sharma
The IPL issued an official statement confirming the sanction. “Abhishek Sharma, All-rounder, Sunrisers Hyderabad, has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees. He has also accumulated one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens,” the statement read.
“Abhishek has admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.3. He 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 statement did not specify the exact incident. However, Article 2.3 covers the use of audible obscenities during matches.
Demerit Point System Explained
Level 1 offences are the least severe within the IPL’s disciplinary framework. However, repeated infringements can lead to stricter penalties, including match suspensions. Sharma now carries one demerit point on his disciplinary record.
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Sharma’s Match Performance
Despite the off-field reprimand, Sharma impressed with the bat. He scored 48 runs off just 21 balls, smashing four sixes and four fours. He shared an explosive 82-run opening stand with Travis Head (46) off just 34 balls.
Heinrich Klaasen’s 52 and Nitish Kumar Reddy’s 39 helped SRH post 226/8. KKR were bowled out for 161 in 16 overs. Jaydev Unadkat led the bowling attack with 3/21. SRH secured a convincing 65-run victory.
