Harif Rauf banned over jet-crashing gestures© AFP
The International Cricket Council (ICC) finally announced sanctions on Indian and Pakistani players over the controversial gestures that were made during the on-field clashes between the two teams during the Asia Cup. Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf was the one to face the most strict penalties by the top governing body, all because of his jet-crashing gestures in two of the three matches that his team played against India in the continental event. However, a report in a Pakistani publication has claimed that the demerit points were never discussed with Rauf during the hearings.
Rauf was handed a 2-game suspension after accumulating a total of 4 demerit points. According to a Pakistani publication, Geo Super, the pacer was never told by the match referee that his penalty would be reduced if he accepted the offence.
The report also claims that the demerit points penalty did not come under discussion during the hearing and was added later without the speedster being given prior notice.
During the hearing conducted by ICC Match Referee Richie Richardson, the 31-year-old Pakistani cricketer was again found guilty of breaching Article 2.21 for his jet-crashing gestures, both in the final and another match before.
The ICC cut 30 per cent of his match fee and added two demerit points for each Code of Conduct breach. Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan was also reprimanded by the ICC over his AK-47 gesture after scoring a half-century against India.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav were also sanctioned by the ICC. Another Indian pacer, Arshdeep Singh, was also reportedly a part of the discussion, but the board found him “not guilty” of an alleged breach of Article 2.6.
Arshdeep was also accused of making a gesture that is obscene, offensive, or insulting, but the ICC didn’t agree with the accusation, and hence, no sanction was imposed.
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