The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken disciplinary action against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bowler Digvesh Singh Rathi for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during the match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday. Digvesh was fined 25% of his match fee and handed a demerit point for his animated ‘notebook’ celebration after dismissing young PBKS batter Priyansh Arya.

“Digvesh Singh, bowler, Lucknow Super Giants, has been fined 25% of his match fees and has also accumulated one Demerit Point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s match against Punjab Kings,” the BCCI said in a statement.

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Digvesh admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the match referee’s sanction, which is final and binding for Level 1 breaches.

The incident took place on the penultimate ball of the third over of PBKS’ chase. Digvesh bowled a short and wide delivery to Arya, who attempted a pull shot but top-edged the ball. Shardul Thakur sprinted from mid-on to take a sharp catch, dismissing Arya for 8 off 9 balls.

As Arya walked back to the pavilion, Digvesh, his former teammate from the Delhi T20 League, provocatively walked up to him and made an exaggerated gesture, mimicking writing his name in an imaginary notebook. The umpires took note of the incident and had a word with Digvesh, deeming the celebration unsporting.

Sunil Gavaskar criticises Digvesh’s actions

Cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar was unimpressed with Digvesh’s antics. “I can understand the celebration if the wicket comes after the batsman hit a boundary or a six in the previous ball. As a bowler, you’ve got six deliveries. So if you got five dot balls and get a wicket on the sixth, then you do something like that, it’s not understandable. But all these gestures mean that you don’t expect to get a wicket. And now that you’ve got a wicket, you’re trying to show off,” Gavaskar remarked during the live commentary.

Despite his controversial celebration, Digvesh was the standout performer in an otherwise disappointing LSG bowling effort. The leg-spinner claimed 2 wickets for 30 runs in his four-over spell, while none of the other LSG bowlers could make an impact. PBKS chased down the 173-run target in just 16.2 overs, thanks to explosive half-centuries from Prabhsimran Singh (69 off 34 balls) and captain Shreyas Iyer (52* off 30 balls).

The victory propelled PBKS to the second spot in the IPL 2025 points table, tying with RCB and DC at four points each, with all three teams winning their first two matches. LSG, meanwhile, will look to regroup as they aim to bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.