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Andy Flower, the head coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has been found guilty of violating the Indian Premier League Code of Conduct during the match against the Mumbai Indians in Raipur on Sunday. The former Zimbabwe batter was fined 15 per cent of his match fees after admitting to a Level 1 offence under Article 2.3 of the code, which deals with the “use of an audible obscenity during a match.”

The incident took place on the second ball of the 18th over in RCB’s innings. Krunal Pandya had miscued a shot high into the air, but MI fielders Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir failed to complete the catch cleanly. The umpires then took some time to decide whether the shot should be ruled a six, leading to visible frustration in the RCB camp.

Naman Dhir, stationed near the boundary line, threw the ball back into play, believing he was close to touching the ropes, but Tilak Varma was unable to complete the catch. Replay footage later showed that Naman had not made contact with the boundary cushion, which meant the shot was not awarded as a six.

The decision, however, left Andy Flower unhappy, with the RCB head coach seen having a heated discussion with the fourth umpire. Flower’s exchange with the official eventually led to disciplinary action against the senior Royal Challengers Bengaluru support staff member.

The coach accepted the offence and agreed to the sanction handed down by match referee Amit Sharma.

What Led To The Controversy During RCB vs MI Clash?

In the IPL clash between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, RCB emerged victorious in a last-ball thriller in Raipur, winning by two wickets. Krunal Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar played key roles in guiding the defending champions home. With nine runs required from the final three deliveries, Bhuvneshwar turned the game on its head by smashing a six off Raj Angad Bawa.

On the final ball, he and Rasikh Salam Dar completed two runs to seal a dramatic win for RCB. Bhuvneshwar was named Player of the Match for his brilliant four-wicket spell and his crucial cameo in the final over. His performance also took him to the top of the Purple Cap standings.

With this win, RCB climbed to the top of the points table with 14 points from 11 matches, while the Mumbai Indians were officially knocked out of the playoff race.

This article first appeared on Cricfit and was syndicated with permission.

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