Harmanpreet Kaur Suspended For Two International Matches For Code Of Conduct Breach

Harmanpreet Kaur was found guilty of breaching article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, relating to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision”.

Harmanpreet Kaur Suspended For Two International Matches For Code Of Conduct Breach ( Image Source :Getty Images )

India women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been suspended for the next two international matches following two separate breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct. She was found guilty of breaching article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, relating to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision”, ICC stated in a media release on Tuesday. The incidents occurred during India women vs Bangladesh women third One-Day-International match in Dhaka on Saturday. The match was part of the ICC Women’s Championship series.

The first incident occurred specifically when Harmanpreet Kaur, after  she was adjudged caught at slip by the on-field umpire, expressed her dissent and frustration over the decision by smashing the stumps with her bat, followed by a heated war of words with the umpire.

Kaur was fined 50 percent of her match fee for the Level 2 offence and received three demerit points on her disciplinary record.

In another incident, Kaur openly lashed out at the hosts for 'biased and unfair' umpiring throughout the ODI series between the two teams. She was also fined 25 percent of her match fee for a Level 1 offence relating to "public criticism in relation to an incident occurring in an international match".

"The Indian captain admitted the offences and agreed to the sanctions proposed by Akhtar Ahmed of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees. As a result, there was no need for a formal hearing, and the penalties were implemented promptly," ICC said in a media release.

Meanhwile, former India women's cricket team captain Diana Edulji criticized Harmanpreet's behavior, speculating that she may have lost her composure because to her subpar batting technique. The veteran wrote in her editorial for Indian Express that Harmanpreet's behavior set a poor example for her teammates.

“Cricketers reacting to a bad umpiring decision, though not ideal, is nothing new. To a certain extent, one can be pardoned since when you get out in a crunch match, sometimes it is difficult to control the emotions. Harmanpreet isn't the first cricketer to show dissent and the ICC rightly imposed sanctions on her. I understand wrong decisions were made. We have seen wrong decisions in the past too, not only in women's cricket but in men's cricket too," Edulji wrote.