IPL 2021: KKR skipper Eoin Morgan fined INR 24 lakh for slow over rate against MI

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Eoin Morgan has been fined INR 24 lakh for maintaining a slow over rate during the team’s 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) match against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

KKR defeated MI by seven wickets to enter the top four of the IPL 2021 points table. Morgan won the toss and fielded first, after which KKR’s bowlers restricted MI to 155 for 6. Kolkata then breezed home in the chase as Venkatesh Iyer and Rahul Tripathi cracked blazing fifties.

Following the victory, though, both the KKR skipper and his team members were fined over the franchise’s slow over rate. While Morgan was fined a hefty INR 24 lakh, the other members of the playing XI were each fined "lesser of either INR 6 lakh or 25 percent of their individual match fee".

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An official IPL press release stated:

“The Kolkata Knight Riders have been fined after they maintained a slow over rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Mumbai Indians at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi on September 23. As it was the team’s second offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, Kolkata Knight Riders captain Eoin Morgan was fined Rs 24 lakh.”

Morgan was fined INR 12 lakh for the same offence during KKR’s IPL 2021 encounter against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 21.

"Bowlers the superstars in the last two games" - Eoin Morgan

On the field, KKR have had an impressive run in the second half of IPL 2021 so far. After hammering the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by nine wickets earlier, they scuttled the MI challenge as well, defeating the defending champions by seven wickets on Thursday.

While newcomer Venkatesh Iyer has been the star performer with 94 runs in two matches in the UAE, KKR skipper Morgan termed the bowlers as the superstars of the consecutive wins.

“I don’t think it’s one player that has changed the outlook of the team. I think [in] the last two games the superstars in our side have been the bowlers, they have been outstanding on really good wickets to bat on here in Abu Dhabi, and I think that allowed our opening pair of Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer to go out and play their natural game,” Morgan said at the post-match conference.

Iyer (53 off 30) and Tripathi (74 not out off 42) featured in a blazing 88-run stand for the second wicket against MI. Sunil Narine was named the Man of the Match for his economical figures of 1 for 20.