Shawdesh Desk:

Australia’s Steve Smith has become the third Indian Premier League captain to be fined for a slow over-rate, adding insult to injury after his Rajasthan Royals team were hammered by reigning champions Mumbai Indians.

The Royals allowed Mumbai to post 194 for four and lost by 57 runs after being bowled out for 136 — despite England’s Jos Buttler hitting 70 — in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The win put Mumbai top of the IPL table.

Smith followed Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer in having to pay $1,600 for the slow over-rate under the IPL code of conduct.

The defeat was the third in a row for the Royals, the 2008 champions, who are desperate for the return of England all-rounder Ben Stokes.

Stokes has arrived in Dubai from New Zealand, where he was with his ailing father, but is now in a six-day quarantine and will not be able to play before Saturday.

“We haven’t been able to get a good start in the last three games. Outside of Jos and Jofra Archer at the end, we’ve got work to do on our batting,” said Smith.

“Stokes is not out till the 10th. He’s not too far away. Hopefully we can get a few wins and get some momentum.”

The Royals were undone by a blazing unbeaten 79 by Mumbai’s Suryakumar Yadav who smashed 11 fours and two sixes despite taking a blow to his helmet off paceman Archer.

Mumbai quicks Jasprit Bumrah, who claimed four wickets, and Trent Boult, with 2-26, then combined to pack off Royals in 18.1 overs.