Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Rishabh Pant has been handed a one-match suspension after his team's third slow over-rate offence in the ongoing IPL 2024 season. DC were found to be behind the required over-rate in their clash against Rajasthan Royals on May 7 in Delhi. The franchise appealed against the match referee's decision but it was rejected.

Pant was fined ₹30 lakh apart from the suspension and will sit out of the team's all-important match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday. DC are currently fifth on the table and need to win to entertain any realistic hopes of a spot in the playoffs, while RCB also need to win to remain in contention.

"Mr Rishabh Pant, Captain, Delhi Capitals has been fined and suspended for one match for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match 56 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 against Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on May 07, 2024," the IPL media release stated.

"As it was his team's third offence of the season under the IPL's Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Rishabh Pant was fined INR 30 Lac and suspended for one match. The rest of the members of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player, were each individually fined either INR 12 Lac or 50 per cent of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser.

"As per Article 8 of the IPL Code of Conduct, the Delhi Capitals filed an appeal challenging the ruling of the Match Referee. Following this, the appeal was referred to the BCCI Ombudsman for review. The Ombudsman conducted a virtual hearing and affirmed that the decision of the Match Referee remains final and binding."

(CricketNDTV inputs)