Chasing 222 against the Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru were 27-0 after two overs. Then, as Virat Kohli stood outside the crease, Harshit Rana bowled a slow full toss that took the leading edge. Rana held the return catch, and an unhappy Kohli fumed as he walked off the ground.

In a subsequent tweet, the official broadcasters agreed with the umpires. Ball-tracking revealed that the ball would have passed the popping crease at 0.92m above the ground level, 12cm below Kohli’s waist height at upright stance. En route his way back to the dugout, Kohli struck the ground with his bat and knocked off a dustbin with a shove of his hand.

The IPL committee fined Kohli 50 percent of his match fees “for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct”. In a press release, they clarified that Kohli “committed a Level 1 offence under Article 2.8” and “admitted to the offence and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction”.

Article 2.8 of the IPL Code of Conduct deals with “Showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during a Match”, and covers: “(a) excessive, obvious disappointment with an Umpire’s decision; (b) an obvious delay in resuming play or leaving the wicket; (c) shaking the head; (d) pointing or looking at the inside edge when given out LBW; (e) pointing to the pad or rubbing the shoulder when caught behind; (f) snatching the cap from the Umpire; (g) requesting a referral to the TV Umpire (other than in the context of a legitimate request for a referral as may be permitted in such Match); and (h) arguing or entering into a prolonged discussion with the Umpire about his/her decision”

Violators of Article 2.8 can be charged with up to a Level 2 offence. In Kohli’s case, it was Level 1.