Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Tim David has been sanctioned by the Indian Premier League (IPL) for breaching the league’s Code of Conduct during his team’s thrilling last-ball victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Sunday.
The incident occurred in the emotional aftermath of RCB’s dramatic two-wicket win. Chasing 167, RCB sealed victory off the final delivery when Rasikh Salam Dar scrambled back for the winning run, eliminating MI from IPL 2026 playoff contention.
As the RCB dugout erupted in celebration, cameras captured David – a former MI player – directing what the IPL described as an “obscene, offensive or insulting” gesture toward the opposition. Videos of the moment, widely interpreted as showing the middle finger, quickly went viral on social media.
The Sanction From BCCI
The BCCI confirmed on Monday that David has been fined 30% of his match fee and handed two demerit points for a Level 1 breach of the IPL Code of Conduct. The official statement noted that Tim David violated Article 2.6, which pertains to “using a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting.”
The Australian power-hitter admitted to the offense and accepted the sanction imposed by Match Referee Amit Sharma.
“Tim David, All-rounder, Royal Challengers Bengaluru has been fined 30% of his applicable match fee and has also accumulated two demerit points for breaching Level 1 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct for Players and Team officials,” the IPL said in a statement.
“Tim was found to have breached article 2.6 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which relates to “using a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting.”
Tim admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by Match Referee, Amit Sharma,” it added.
Notably, David had a forgettable outing in the match itself, falling for a golden duck to Corbin Bosch after a mis-timed pull shot off a slower bouncer carried to wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton.
A Repeated Offense
This marks the second time this season that Tim David has been fined for a breach of the IPL Code of Conduct.
Earlier in the tournament, he was also fined 25 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for “disobeying an umpire’s instruction” during RCB’s clash against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium.
What’s Next?
The controversial episode has sparked divided reactions among fans, with some viewing it as heated rivalry passion and others criticizing it as unsportsmanlike. RCB will now look ahead to their remaining IPL 2026 league fixtures, hoping the incident does not affect team morale as they push for a playoff spot.
Notably, the BCCI and IPL have maintained a strict stance on player conduct throughout the season.
