Virat Kohli cleared after minor code breach

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli was found guilty of violating the BCCI's anti-corruption code after he met his girlfriend Anushka Sharma in the stands at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the rain-break against Delhi Daredevils on Sunday. The precise code that Kohli was found to have breached relates to the minimum standards for Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA). It is understood that Kohli was informed of the violation by BCCI anti-corruption unit head Ravi Sawani, and let off as the infringement was found to be a minor one.

The exact code Kohli broke was 5.1.2(c) which reads: "Whilst outside of the PMOA, the Player, Player Support Personnel or Match Official must only communicate with those third parties with whom he/she has permission to communicate and only engage in such communications as are necessary for the completion of such purposes as have been approved."

Kohli was seen interacting with Anushka, who was standing in the VIP enclosure which is adjacent to the players' dressing room. The PMOA is monitored by the ICC's ACSU, which has been contracted to provide anti-corruption cover during the IPL. According to the protocol, the ACSU general manager YP Singh sent the report to Sawani, who has the authority to take the necessary action depending on the degree of violation.

Kohli has been instrumental in Royal Challengers making the playoffs for the first time in four years. The last time they did so was in 2011, when they finished as runners-up.