Andy Flower Fined After Heated Umpire Exchange During RCB’s Last-Ball Thriller Against MI

RCB head coach Andy Flower has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee after breaching the IPL 2026 Code of Conduct.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru head coach Andy Flower has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee for breaching the IPL 2026 Code of Conduct during RCB’s thrilling victory over Mumbai Indians on Sunday in Raipur.

The IPL confirmed that Flower committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.3, which relates to the “use of an audible obscenity during a match.”

The incident occurred in the 17.2 over of RCB’s chase when Flower was seen engaging in a heated exchange with the fourth umpire near the dugout.

Flower later admitted to “speaking aggressively with the fourth umpire” and accepted the sanction imposed by match referee Amit Sharma.

Under IPL regulations, sanctions for Level 1 offences are final and binding once accepted, leaving no room for appeal.

Confusion Over Krunal Pandya Boundary Call Sparks Drama

The controversy unfolded after a tense moment involving Krunal Pandya during the closing stages of RCB’s chase.

Facing spinner AM Ghazanfar, Krunal lofted a delivery towards wide long-on where Mumbai Indians fielder Naman Dhir produced an athletic relay effort close to the boundary ropes. Dhir flicked the ball back towards Tilak Varma while stepping beyond the boundary line, but Tilak failed to complete the catch and instead appeared to signal a six.

The incident initially created confusion among players, support staff, and the RCB dugout regarding whether Dhir had made contact with the boundary cushions during the relay effort.

Television replays later confirmed that Dhir had successfully avoided touching the ropes. With Krunal struggling with cramps and unable to attempt a run, the delivery was eventually ruled a dot ball.

The decision sparked visible frustration inside the RCB camp, leading to Flower’s animated reaction near the sidelines.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar Turns Match-Winner for RCB

Despite the tension and confusion, RCB held their nerve to pull off a sensational two-wicket victory on the final ball of the match.

Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar emerged as the hero for Bengaluru with an all-round impact performance. Earlier in the innings, he starred with the ball by claiming four crucial wickets to restrict Mumbai Indians.

He then delivered under pressure with the bat in the closing moments of the chase. With RCB requiring nine runs from the final three balls, Bhuvneshwar smashed a stunning six over point off Raj Angad Bawa to shift momentum back in Bengaluru’s favour.

Rather than an uncontrolled swing, the experienced pacer expertly guided the ball over the covers in what Krunal Pandya later described as the “shot of the match.”

Krunal also played a pivotal role in the chase with a composed 73-run knock.

RCB Climb to Top of IPL 2026 Points Table

RCB eventually completed the chase on the final delivery to register their seventh win of the IPL 2026 season.

The dramatic victory lifted Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the top of the points table as they continued their impressive campaign in pursuit of a maiden IPL title.