IPL 2026: Abhishek Sharma fined, gets demerit point for Code of Conduct breach

Kolkata — Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Abhishek Sharma has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s clash against Kolkata Knight Riders.

According to the IPL, the match referee found Abhishek guilty of violating Article 2.3 of the Code, which relates to the use of offensive, obscene, or profane language that can be picked up by spectators or broadcast microphones. The rule also covers expressions made in frustration over one’s own performance.

In an official statement, the league said Abhishek was penalised for the incident during Thursday’s match at Eden Gardens. The youngster accepted the sanction and admitted to committing a Level 1 offence. For such breaches, the match referee’s decision is considered final and binding.

Despite the disciplinary action, Abhishek delivered a strong performance with the bat. He scored a brisk 48 off just 21 balls, smashing four sixes and four boundaries. The knock also saw him become the first Indian cricketer to hit 100 sixes in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad — a notable milestone.

Sunrisers Hyderabad went on to register a dominant 65-run victory. They posted an imposing 226 for 8 and then bowled out Kolkata Knight Riders for 161. The win also marked the first successful total defence of the season, breaking the early trend of teams chasing targets. 

With inputs from IANS