Why could Shreyas Iyer be banned by the BCCI in IPL 2026?

Shreyas Iyer has hammered 68 runs at a strike rate of 170.00 so far at IPL 2026. Catch the reason why he could be banned in this tournament.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) are flying early in IPL 2026, having won both of their first two matches. The last year’s runners-up are punching once again, going with the same template. However, their captain has quietly entered into a danger zone. Shreyas Iyer, despite leading from the front with the bat, now faces the real possibility of a suspension if things don’t tighten up quickly.

The reason has nothing to do with form or discipline with the bat. It is the clock. PBKS were found guilty of maintaining a slow over-rate during their win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and it wasn’t their first offence of the season. Punjab have played two games and in both of them, Iyer has been fined by the BCCI.

Second offence pushes Iyer closer to suspension

The IPL confirmed that this was Punjab Kings’ second over-rate breach under Article 2.22 of the Code of Conduct. As a result, Iyer has been fined INR 24 lakh, while the rest of the playing XI, including the Impact Player, have been penalised INR 6 lakh or 25 percent of their match fees.

But the interesting part lies in what comes next. One more over-rate offence this season and Iyer will face a INR 30 lakh fine and a one-match suspension. With Punjab still having the bulk of their league games left, it is a huge possibility that Iyer might face a ban due to Punjab’s slow overrate. Punjab took close to two hours to complete their bowling innings in Chennai, well beyond the acceptable time frame.

Slow over-rates penalty in IPL

The BCCI now aims for matches to finish within 3.5 hours, including both innings and breaks. If the bowling team does not start the 20th over by the scheduled time, they must bring an extra fielder inside the 30-yard circle (allowing only four fielders outside) for the remainder of the innings.

What makes the situation more interesting is that Iyer is doing his job perfectly on the field. In fact, he has done exceedingly well ever since Punjab signed him at the IPL 2025 mega auction for INR 26.75 crore. He has captained superbly, and with the bat Iyer has struck 672 runs at 48. His strike rate of 174.5 has been one of the best since last year. Yesterday, he scored a blistering 50 off 29 balls in the chase of 209 against CSK, guiding Punjab home with ease after Priyansh Arya’s early blitz and steady contributions from Prabhsimran Singh and Cooper Connolly.

Most IPL runs since 2025