Hardik Pandya to miss MI’s IPL 2025 Opener

Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya is set to miss his team’s opening match in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 23. The suspension comes as a result of a violation of the IPL Code of Conduct during the final match of IPL 2024.

Pandya’s one-match ban is a carryover from the previous season after MI was penalized for a slow-over rate offence in their last league-stage match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). This was the third such offence for the team in the 2024 edition, triggering a one-match suspension for the all-rounder.

The IPL’s Code of Conduct states that a third violation of the slow-over rate rule results in a one-match ban for the captain. Pandya was also fined INR 30 lakhs, while other members of the Playing XI were penalized with fines ranging from INR 12 lakhs to 50% of their match fees, depending on the amount.

With this suspension, Pandya will not be available for MI’s much-anticipated match against CSK on March 23 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The IPL 2025 season is set to kick off on March 22 with the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the tournament opener.