Sanju Samson fined by BCCI over argument with umpires after controversial dismissal

In Short

• Sanju Samson was fined by BCCI after on-field argument with umpires in IPL 2024
• Samson was fined 30 per cent of his match fees for breaching IPL Code of Conduct
• DC earned a hard-fought 20-run win over Royals to technically stay alive

Sanju Samson, the captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) franchise, has been penalized with a fine amounting to 30% of his match fees by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

This disciplinary action was taken against Samson following his dissent towards the third umpire’s decision during the 56th match of the ongoing 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The incident occurred during the match between RR and the Delhi Capitals (DC) on Tuesday, where Samson engaged in a heated on-field argument with the umpires after his controversial dismissal.

Samson’s contentious exit from the crease stirred considerable controversy on social media platforms.

He was caught by Shai Hope at the long-off boundary while batting impressively on 84 runs.

However, replays suggested that Hope’s foot was dangerously close to the boundary line, leading to speculation that he might have made contact with the rope while completing the catch.

Nevertheless, the television umpire found no conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field decision, resulting in Samson’s dismissal.

The BCCI issued a statement regarding the incident, confirming Samson’s fine and citing his breach of the IPL Code of Conduct under Article 2.8. Samson admitted to the offense and accepted the sanction imposed by the Match Referee.

According to the IPL’s Code of Conduct, decisions regarding Level 1 breaches are final and binding.

Despite the controversy surrounding Samson’s dismissal, DC emerged victorious in a closely contested match, defeating RR by a margin of 20 runs. DC’s spinners, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, played pivotal roles in securing the win, as they effectively contained RR’s batting lineup during the chase.

RR, led by Samson’s valiant innings of 86 runs off 46 balls, fell short of the target set by DC and concluded their innings at 201 for 8.

With this win, DC moved up to fifth place in the IPL standings with 12 points, alongside three other teams.

However, their chances of qualifying for the playoffs remain slim, as teams positioned higher in the standings have better prospects of securing 18 points.

DC, with a maximum potential of accumulating 16 points, faces an uphill battle to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.