IPL 2023: Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir and Naveen-ul-Haq fined for breaching IPL Code of Conduct

It wasn’t the first heated instance involving Kohli and Gambhir in the IPL either. They had clashed in 2013 during a RCB-KKR match, when Gambhir skippered the latter.

It all started when the LSG bowler Naveen-ul-Haq and Kohli exchanged words in the post-match handshake. Thereafter, LSG opener Kyle Mayers was seen having a word with Kohli and Gambhir interrupted by pulling the opener away.

Kohli seemed to be trying to pacify Gambhir with his hand on Gambhir’s shoulder, but the conversation soon took an ugly turn. Kohli and Gambhir were seen exchanging words and had to be separated by the two sets of players.

For those who missed it#LSGvsRCB#ViratKohli #GautamGambhir #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/tOkloeLuk6

— Faheem Manzoor (@faheemmanzoor47) May 1, 2023

LSG bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has also been fined 50 per cent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct. The left-arm seamer has admitted to the Level 1 offence.

KL Rahul and Virat Kohli discussing the issue#IPL2023 #ipl #ViratKohli #RCBVSLSG #gautamgambhir pic.twitter.com/Z5xnlJM6f2

— Faheem Manzoor (@faheemmanzoor47) May 1, 2023

RCB read a slow pitch perfectly and successfully defended 126 runs against LSG.

Bangalore’s 126-9 looked under par at the halfway mark, but Lucknow’s counter-charge didn’t work on a tricky home track and it was bowled out for 108 in the final over.

Lucknow suffered a blow when captain Lokesh Rahul went off the field in pain in only the second over of the game while clutching his right thigh. Rahul didn’t appear again until the fall of his team’s ninth wicket. He faced three balls but couldn’t get off the mark before Bangalore wrapped up a convincing win.