Harmanpreet suspended for breach of ICC Code of Conduct in 3rd ODI against BAN

DHAKA: Criticised for her recent outbursts inside and outside the field, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been suspended for her next two international matches following two separate breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third match of their ICC Women’s Championship series against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Saturday.

Harmanpreet will miss India's next two matches in the Asian Games as per this punishment.

Harmanpreet was fined 50 per cent of her match fee and three demerit points were added to her disciplinary record for a Level 2 offence after she was found guilty of breaching article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision”.

Harmanpreet was also fined 25 per cent of her match fee for a Level 1 offence after she was found guilty of breaching article 2.7, which relates to “public criticism about an incident occurring in an international match.”

The first incident occurred in the 34th over of India’s innings when Kaur hit the wickets with her bat in a show of dissent after she was adjudged caught at slip off spinner Nahida Akter. She was clearly unhappy with the decision as she felt the ball had come off her pad and expressed her frustration by smashing the stumps with her bat.

The other incident was during the presentation ceremony when Kaur criticized the umpiring in the match. Harmanpreet heavily criticised the umpires and termed their decision disappointing.

Harmanpreet admitted the offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Akhtar Ahmed of the ICC International Panel of Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Tanvir Ahmed and Muhammad Kamruzzaman, third umpire Moniruzzamman and fourth umpire Ali Arman levelled the charges.

Level 2 breaches carry a penalty of between 50 and 100 per cent of a player’s match fee and three or four demerit points while Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Harmanpreet’s four demerit points convert to two suspension points. As two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player or player support personnel, she stands suspended from India’s forthcoming matches.