MS Dhoni fined for inappropriate comment following the MI v CSK Qualifier 1

MS Dhoni fined for inappropriate comment following the MI v CSK Qualifier 1: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has been fined 10% of his match fees for a comment he made last night in the post match presentation about Dwayne Smith’s dismissal.

Smith was adjudged LBW by umpire Richard Illingworth in the first over of the qualifier 1 of the ongoing IPL 8. Replays showed that Malinga’s full toss was drifting towards the leg side. The umpire though deemed it a clear dismissal and gave him out. Smith was visibly upset after storming to the dressing room.

In the wake of the defeat, in the post match presentation when asked about the performance, Dhoni was critical of Illingworth’s decision to award Smith out. He called the umpire’s decision a “horrible one”. The inappropriate comment from Dhoni attracted a fine from the IPL and according to the official IPL website; MSD has accepted the level 1 offence (Article 2.1.7 of the IPL Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials) and accepted the appropriate sanction.

Dhoni who is usually pretty cautious and calculative with his choice of words, must have found it tough to hide his feelings for the decision which surely had a huge impact on the outcome of the match, which went against the CSK team, this time round and thus clearly criticized the call made by the umpire.

After losing to MI in the first qualifier, CSK will now face either RCB or RR for the second Qualifier on 22nd May to book a place in the final against Mumbai Indians.