The heat from the fiery IPL 2023 match between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is still being felt, as sparks continue to fly after the game.
While the pitch didn't allow for much fire with the bat from either team, tempers flared and verbal exchanges got heated during and after the match.
The trouble began when LSG's Afghan pacer, Naveen-ul-Haq, said something to Virat Kohli upon his arrival at the crease for batting in the second innings.
Kohli responded and the two had to be separated by the umpire and LSG spinner, Amit Mishra. Though the argument seemed to cool off for a while, it resumed after the match was over. This time, Kohli apparently said something while shaking hands with Naveen, who became visibly angry and responded in kind. However, Glenn Maxwell intervened and defused the situation.
After the match, Naveen took the battle to social media by posting on his Instagram story: "You get what you deserve that’s how it should be and that’s how it goes."
Meanwhile, according to a report by the Indian Express, Naveen confided in one of his LSG teammates, saying, "I came here to play in the IPL, not to take abuse from anyone."
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took strict action against both Naveen and Kohli following their heated exchange. Naveen was fined 50 percent of his match fees, while Kohli had to hand over his entire match fees as a penalty. Additionally, Gautam Gambhir was also fined 100 percent of his match fees for his unsightly argument with Kohli.
