Harmanpreet Kaur suspended for next two international games following ICC Code of Conduct breach

Harmanpreet Kaur. (Photo Source: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been suspended for her team’s 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.

Kaur 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”.

Kaur 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 in relation to 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. The other incident was during the presentation ceremony when Kaur criticized the umpiring in the match.

Harmanpreet Kaur admitted the offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Akhtar Ahmed of the Emirates 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 leveled 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.

Kaur’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, Kaur stands suspended from India’s forthcoming matches.