New Delhi: Indian cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur is facing the possibility of receiving a penalty of four demerit points for her alleged poor on-field and off-field conduct during India’s third and final ODI against Bangladesh. The incident has sparked discussions on her potential breach of the ICC Code of Conduct, specifically Level 2 violations that deal with player behaviour.
The controversy arose during the ODI match when Harmanpreet expressed her frustration against what she believed to be “poor umpiring” decisions. After being adjudged out by on-field umpire Tanvir Ahmed and caught at slips, the Indian skipper vented her displeasure by visibly displaying her frustration. She smashed her bat on the stumps and gestured in protest to the umpire before leaving the field. Subsequently, in the post-match presentation, she openly criticised the umpiring standards in the series, referring to them as “pathetic.”
As per reports from ESPNCricinfo, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is yet to deliver a final verdict or penalty, but if found guilty, Harmanpreet could become the first-ever women’s player to be punished under Level 2 breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct.
The match officials have recommended a total of three demerit points for damaging playing equipment and an additional one for publicly criticising match officials. The final decision now lies with the ICC, and the Board of Cricket in India (BCCI) is in communication with the world governing body to address the matter.
According to the ICC’s rules, if a player accumulates four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points. Four to seven demerit points result in two suspension points, leading to a ban from one Test, two ODIs, or two T20Is, depending on the player’s immediate schedule.
Notably, this is not the first time Harmanpreet has faced disciplinary action. She previously received a demerit point during the ODI World Cup 2017 semifinal against Australia. During the match, she showed dissent by throwing her helmet on the ground and exchanging words with her partner, Deepti Sharma, after a mix-up while completing a double century. On that occasion, she was found guilty of a Level 1 offence.
The ICC’s latest list of code of conduct breaches, up to 2016, includes 29 women cricketers, with Veda Krishnamurthy being the other Indian player found guilty on two occasions.
Instances of players breaking stumps in frustration have been seen before, both in men’s and women’s cricket. Most recently, in men’s cricket in Bangladesh, star all-rounder Shakib al Hasan faced a fine and a three-match suspension for kicking and ripping out stumps during a Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match between Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club.
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