South African pacer Kagiso Rabada has been found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in the 5th ODI against India in Port Elizabeth. He has been penalized with 15 percent of his match fees and also received one demerit point for Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
Rabada was handed over the penalty because he gave a send-off to India’s opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan. He got the left-hander out courtesy a short ball. The bowler was caught waving his hand to signal goodbye to the batsman and also used some swear words.
He was charged by the on-field umpires Ian Gould and Shaun George, third umpire Aleem Dar and fourth umpire Bongani Jele under article 2.1.7, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match”.
After the game, the 22-year-old admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and, so, there was no need for a formal hearing.
The total tally of Rabada’s demerit points has now reached 5. He had earlier received 3 demerit points in a game against Sri Lanka in an ODI on 8 February 2017 and one demerit point in the Lord’s Test against England on 7 July 2017.
Kagiso Rabada was suspended from the Trent Bridge Test against England after he reached 4 demerit points. Now, he is again in danger and if he reaches the next threshold of 8 points within a period of 24 months, it could lead to a suspension again from either two Tests; one Test and two ODIs/T20Is; or four ODIs/T20Is, whichever comes first for him.
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