The Indian Premier League (IPL) is an intense tournament. We often see players put their bodies on the line to give their best to their teams.
So it automatically brings out a fierceness on the field. But in all this, things can heat up quickly between players or even team officials, which might lead to an inappropriate reaction.
Remember the heated exchange between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir from the 2023 season?
Well, both of them were penalised for the altercation. But to curb such incidents, the IPL has put in place a demerit points system starting the 2025 season. It’s similar to how the ICC’s demerit points system works.
But how does the demerit points system work in the IPL?
To start with, the match referee will pull up players for their offences in a match. Based on the level of offence, the match referee will hand out demerit points and even a fine.
If a player commits a minor or level 1 offence, he will receive 1 demerit point. The player will also have to shell out 25 percent of his match fees as a fine.
If the player repeats the offence or commits a serious one, then the match referee will give three or four demerit points. The fine will become 50 percent of the match fees in this case.
And if it’s a serious offence, then the player will receive five to eight demerit points. The fine amount will be 75 percent. (To know more about offences, head to this article.)
Demerit Points System in IPL:
A. Level 1: 1 demerit point
B. Level 2: 3 to 4 demerit points
C. Level 3: 5 to 8 demerit points
What happens to the demerit points in the long run?
See, if a player accumulates a certain number of demerit points, then they will convert into suspension points.
Now, what are suspension points?
The suspension points determine the number of matches a player will face suspension in the IPL. For instance, if a player receives four to seven demerit points, it will convert to one suspension point. Now this means the player will face a one-match suspension.
Likewise, eight to 11 demerit points mean a two-match suspension, 12 to 15 points attract a three-match ban, while more than 16 points will see a player sit out for five games.
Player Suspension in IPL:
I. 4 to 7 demerit points: One-match ban
II. 8 to 11 demerit points: Two-match ban
III. 12 to 15 demerit points: Three-match ban
IV. 16+ demerit points: Five-match ban
How long will a player carry the demerit points?
A player will carry the demerit points for 36 months or three years. The points will remain on record for the rolling period.
Once three years have passed, the old demerit points will be removed. And if a player collects certain demerit points in that rolling period, they will face suspension.
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