Why is Hardik Pandya Suspended for Mumbai Indians' IPL 2025 Opener Against CSK?

The Indian Premier League's (IPL) 18th edition schedule has been revealed. The IPL 2025 will begin in Kolkata on March 22. On March 23, the Mumbai Indians will play their first game against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium. The dynamic all-rounder was notably given a one-match punishment that was carried over from the 2024 IPL.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) just announced the schedule for the 18th edition of the highly anticipated competition, which will start on March 22. The season's first matchup will be between the reigning champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens.

The most anticipated and anticipated match, the MI vs. CSK match, will then take place in the evening at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on March 23 after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) plays Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the day. It is significant to note that following the Mumbai Indians' final IPL 2024 group stage match against the Lucknow Super Giants, Hardik Pandya was fined INR 30 lakh.

Hardik Pandya's IPL 2025 Setback:

Additionally, he was barred from the team's IPL 2025 debut match. Hardik Pandya will therefore be available for the Mumbai Indians in their second game against the Gujarat Titans on March 29. A third infraction carries a one-match punishment under the IPL Code of Conduct. After MI's final league-stage encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2024, Hardik was reprimanded for his team's slow-over rate offence for the third time in the season, which led to his expulsion from the game. The ban also extends to the IPL 2025 because MI failed to advance in the competition.

Hardik Pandya! pic.twitter.com/6wpFlxUpDP

— RVCJ Media (@RVCJ_FB) February 16, 2025

The BCCI issued a statement verifying the penalty, it said, “As it was his team’s third offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Pandya was fined INR 30 lakhs and banned from playing the team’s next match. The rest of the members of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player, were each individually fined either INR 12 lakhs or 50 per cent of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser."

Hardik Pandya was fined ₹12 lakh for MI's first slow-over rate violation against Punjab Kings earlier in the 2024 Indian Premier League, and he was also penalized for a second offence during MI's away match against LSG. Unfortunately, MI will be playing without their captain for the highly anticipated match against CSK as they kick off their 2025 campaign because the third offence carries a ban.

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