Nandre Berger fined for farewell signal (Image credit: AP)

Rajasthan Royals fast bowler Nandre Berger has been fined 10 per cent of his match fee and given one demerit point for breaching the IPL code of conduct during Match 32 against Lucknow Supergiants. The incident took place at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.What happened?Berger was found guilty of making the send-off gesture after dismissing LSG captain Rishabh Pant. The act was deemed a breach of Article 2.5 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which deals with using language or gestures that may provoke an aggressive reaction from an opponent.The left-arm fast bowler admitted a Level 1 offense and accepted the penalty imposed by the match referee. According to IPL rules, decisions on Level 1 violations are final and binding, leaving no room for appeal.Royals’ dominance despite controversyThe disciplinary action came in a match where Rajasthan Royals produced a brilliant all-round performance to beat Lucknow Super Giants by 40 runs.Defending a modest score of 159, RR bowled out LSG for just 119 runs in 18 overs. The chase never really took off, with Pant’s early dismissal leading to the team’s collapse. Only Mitchell Marsh offered resistance with a fighting half-century.Earlier, LSG’s bowling unit had done well to contain RR, with Mohammed Shami striking twice in a row while Mohsin Khan and Prince Yadav kept a tight hold. Ravindra Jadeja played a decisive all-round role for Rajasthan Royals. His unbeaten 43 took the innings by storm after the initial setbacks and he later contributed with the ball to break LSG’s resistance.He was well supported by Jofra Archer and Berger himself, who, despite the controversy, made significant successes.The comprehensive win lifted Rajasthan Royals to second place on the points table, solidifying their campaign. Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants finished 9th in the points table after another disappointing batting performance.