Lucknow Super Giants suffered their third defeat of Indian Premier League 2025, falling to an in-form Punjab Kings by 8 wickets in a dramatic clash at the Ekana Cricket Stadium. The match saw its share of controversy, with LSG spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi making headlines for his celebration after dismissing Punjab Kings batter Priyansh Arya. (More Cricket News)
During PBKS' chase of 172, Digvesh, the only impactful bowler for LSG with figures of 2/30 in four overs, found himself at the center of controversy after giving Priyansh Arya a ‘letter-writing’ send-off.
On the penultimate ball of the third over, Digvesh delivered a short and wide delivery, which Arya attempted to pull without much foot movement, only to top-edge the ball.
Shardul Thakur sprinted from mid-on and completed a running catch.
As Arya walked back to the pavilion after scoring eight off nine balls, Digvesh, his teammate from the Delhi T20 League, mimicked writing a letter -- an act seemingly directed at Arya.
Not only the umpires noted down the action but also the Board of Control for Cricket in India penalised Rathi for "breaching the IPL Code of Conduct" charging him 25% of the match fee.
"Digvesh Singh admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee's sanction," an IPL media advisory stated.
"For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee's decision is final and binding."
During the match, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammed Kaif, while doing commentaries, did not appreciate 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 of 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, you know, show off," Gavaskar said on commentary.
The notebook celebration also emerged in 2019 during India's bilateral series against West Indies where the Indian batter frustrated the Windies' bowler Kesrick Williams for hattrick sixes.
The win propelled PBKS to second place in the IPL 2025 points table. PBKS, RCB, and DC currently have four points each, having won their first two matches.
(With PTI Inputs)
