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Indian pace bowler Harshit Rana has been reprimanded for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday.
ICC released the official statement which said Harshit Rana was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”
In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Rana’s disciplinary record. This was his first offence in a 24-month period. The Incident occurred in the 22nd over of South Africa’s innings, when Harshit Rana, after dismissing Dewald Brevis, gestured in the direction of the dressing room, which came under the scanner.
Harshit Rana admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Jayaraman Madanagopal and Sam Nogajski, third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth umpire Rohan Pandit levelled the charge against him.
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. When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points, and a player is banned. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.
Harshit Rana picked up three crucial wickets in the opening match which included an excellent new ball spell where he picked up the wickets of Rickelton and Quinton De Kock while also dismissing Dewald Brevis later in the game to help India win the match and take a 1-0 series lead.
