IPL 2021: MS Dhoni fined Rs 12 lakh for slow over-rate in CSK's clash against DC

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has been fined Rs 12 Lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate in their opening IPL 2021 match against the Delhi Capitals (DC). The Capitals got the better of CSK by 7 wickets in what was a relatively one-sided encounter.

As this was MS Dhoni's first offense this season, he was handed a fine of Rs 12 lakh. According to the IPL 2021 Code of Conduct, the minimum over-rate is 14.1 over/ hour. A second such offense will cost Dhoni Rs 24 lakh. A third offense would bring a fine of Rs 30 lakh along with a one-game ban.

"As it was his team's first offence of the season under the IPL's Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Mr Dhoni was fined Rs 12 lakh," a statement from the IPL read.

CSK, in fact, only bowled 18.4 overs as the Delhi Capitals chased the target of 189 with ease, thanks to Shikhar Dhawan (85) & Prithvi Shaw's (72) blistering opening partnership.

MS Dhoni also failed to get going with the bat as the Chennai skipper was bowled for a second-ball duck off Avesh Khan's bowling.

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MS Dhoni reacts to his team's first loss in IPL 2021

After the heavy defeat, MS Dhoni wasn't pleased with his bowlers' performance and felt they bowled quite a few 'boundary deliveries'.

"We could have done better (with our bowling). The batters were hitting over the top; there were some boundary deliveries, where the execution wasn't nice. The bowlers will learn in the coming days,” MS Dhoni said in the post-match presentation.

CSK are set to play their first five games of the season at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Chennai skipper believes they will need to look at a total of 200 to be competitive given the amount of dew that comes in during the second half of the game.

"The opposition have half an hour in a 7:30 start when the pitch is really tacky, and the ball stops a bit, so we need to get 15-20 runs extra to be safe. If we get dew consistently, then 200 will be a must on a pitch like this," Dhoni added.

CSK will be keen to bounce back when they lock horns with Punjab Kings next on April 16.