Kagiso Rabada receives demerit point, fined for Shikhar Dhawan send off

Port Elizabeth: South African speedster Kagiso Rabada is fined 15 per cent of his match fee for his send off to Shikhar Dhawan after dismissing him in the fifth ODI against India at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday. Rabada also received one demerit point.

“South Africa paceman has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for conduct during fifth ODI against India,” said the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a media release.

“Kagiso Rabada has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee and received one demerit point after being found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel during Tuesday’s ODI against India in Port Elizabeth,” added the cricket’s governing body.

“The South African fast bowler now has five demerit points on his disciplinary record after receiving three demerit points against Sri Lanka in a One-Day International on 8 February 2017 and one demerit point during the Lord’s Test against England on 7 July 2017. Rabada was subsequently suspended from the Trent Bridge Test against England after his accumulated demerit points reached four following the Lord’s breach,” ICC said further.

If the young pacer receives eight or more demerit points with next two years, he will be suspended.

“If Rabada reaches the next threshold of eight or more demerit points within a 24-month period, he will be suspended again from either two Tests; one Test and two ODIs/T20Is; or four ODIs/T20Is, whichever comes first for the player. Tuesday’s incident happened in the eighth over of India’s innings when Rabada, after dismissing Shikhar Dhawan, waved at the departing batsman and also made a comment which could have resulted in a reaction from the batsman,” said ICC.

“As such, 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 match, Rabada admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing,” concluded ICC.