Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur was on Friday fined 10 per cent of her match fee for showing dissent at umpire’s decision during her team’s match against UP Warriorz at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
The incident occurred at the end of the 19th over of UP Warriorz innings when umpire Ajitesh Argal informed Mumbai Indians skipper Harmanpreet Kaur that only three fielders could be outside the circle in the final over due to a slow over rate.
Seemingly unhappy with the ruling, she was seen engaged in a brief argument with the umpire, with teammate Amelia Kerr also joining the discussion.
Harmanpreet also had a spat with UP Warriorz’s Sophie Ecclestone during the match, when the English cricketer, standing at the non-striker’s end, walked toward the umpire to explain something.
Harmanpreet appeared to respond sharply, seemingly asking Ecclestone to stay out of the conversation.
The exchange prompted intervention from square-leg umpire N Janani and UP Warriorz captain Deepti Sharma, who stepped in to defuse the tension.
“Harmanpreet Kaur admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.8 which relates to showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during a match,” WPL said in a release.
“For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding.”
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Former India captain Mithali Raj has commented on the animated incident between Harmanpreet Kaur and Sophie Eccleston.
“I believe Mumbai Indians were four minutes behind the over rate, which meant they had to bring an extra fielder inside the ring—allowing only three fielders on the boundary,” she told JioHotstar.
“Harmanpreet was likely discussing this with the umpire and reconsidering whether she would have bowled Shabnim Ismail in the 19th over had she known earlier.
“But I couldn’t quite figure out what Ecclestone was trying to do in that moment. As a captain, when you’re already dealing with an over-rate penalty and adjusting your field, it can be frustrating to have another player step into that conversation. I think it was just a moment of emotion.”