Rathi’s ‘notebook’ celebration lands him another fine and two more demerit points

Digvesh Rathi, who dismissed Naman Dhir with his now-signature “notebook” celebration during Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) clash with Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday night, has been fined 50% of his match fee and handed two demerit points. The incident occurred in Lucknow during a game LSG won by 12 runs. Meanwhile, LSG captain Rishabh Pant was fined INR 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over rate during the match.

This marks Rathi’s second offense under Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which deals with actions or gestures directed at dismissed batters that could provoke or demean them. His previous infraction came against Priyansh Arya during LSG’s loss to Punjab Kings on April 1, when he combined the same celebration with a bit of physical contact. That incident resulted in a 25% match fee fine and one demerit point. The latest breach, although lacking direct contact, has drawn a heavier penalty—two demerit points and a higher fine.

According to the IPL Code of Conduct, four demerit points translate into a suspension point, which would lead to the player missing one match. These points remain on a player’s record for 36 months, so Rathi will need to tread carefully for the foreseeable future, even across upcoming seasons.

For the 25-year-old Delhi mystery spinner, the reprimand came on what was otherwise his standout performance of the tournament. Defending 203, Rathi returned excellent figures of 1 for 21 from his four overs at an economy of just 5.25—easily the most economical among his teammates, none of whom went at less than 10 per over. His spell earned him the Player of the Match award.

Pant, on the other hand, continued his lean run with the bat, managing just 2 off six balls. He has scored only 19 runs in four innings this season. He became the third captain in IPL 2025 to be penalized for a slow over rate, joining MI’s Hardik Pandya and Rajasthan Royals’ Riyan Parag on the list.

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