In a significant policy change, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has implemented a demerit points system for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The new rules aim to curb slow over-rates, poor player behavior, and other transgressions, ensuring stricter compliance among teams and captains.
Stricter Penalties Without Immediate Bans
According to reports, the BCCI informed all 10 franchise think tanks during a captains and managers meeting on Thursday that while captains will still be penalized for slow over-rates, immediate match bans will no longer be imposed. Instead, demerit points will accumulate over three years, similar to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) system.
An official source stated, “A Level 1 offence will result in a deduction of 25 to 75 percent of match fees along with demerit points. A Level 2 offence, if deemed serious, will lead to four demerit points. For every four accumulated demerit points, penalties such as a 100 percent fine or additional demerit points may be imposed.”
Although demerit points could lead to a match ban in the future, slow over-rates alone will not immediately result in suspensions under the revised system.
Hardik Pandya is subject to a one-match ban.
Hardik Pandya, the captain of Mumbai Indians, will not be present for the franchise’s inaugural game of the 2025 IPL, despite the policy change. His one-match suspension is the result of a sluggish over-rate violation that occurred during the Mumbai Indians’ final match of the 2024 IPL against the Lucknow Super Giants. As this was Pandya’s third offence, he was fined ₹30 lakh and handed a ban, which now carries over into the new season.
Mumbai Indians will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 23 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. In Pandya’s absence, Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain, is expected to lead the team in the high-profile clash.
With the introduction of the demerit points system, IPL franchises will have to be more vigilant regarding over-rates and player conduct to avoid penalties in the long run. source livemint.com
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