Dubai, Oct 7 (IANS): India’s pace-bowling all-rounder Arundhati Reddy has been reprimanded for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the side’s six-wicket win over Pakistan in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said Arundhati 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.”
The incident occurred in the 20th over of Pakistan’s innings, when Arundhati, who took Player of the Match award for her career-best spell of 3-19, rattled the off-stump of Pakistan all-rounder Nida Dar. After dismissing her, she gestured to the batter in the direction of the pavilion and screamed ‘nikal’ (get out).
“It was just a very heat-of-the-moment thing. I didn't think much about it. Just came off,” Arundhati had said about it in the post-match press conference. ICC stated that on-field umpires Eloise Sheridan and Lauren Agenbag, third umpire Jacquline Williams and fourth umpire Claire Polosak levelled the charge.
It further said Arundhati admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Shandre Fritz of the ICC International Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing in Dubai.
In addition to this, ICC added that one demerit point has been added to Arundhati’s disciplinary record, as it was her first offence in 24 months. 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.
After getting their first win of the tournament against Pakistan, India will next face the Chamari Athapaththu-led Sri Lanka in their third Group A game at Dubai on Wednesday. India need to win its remaining games against Sri Lanka and Australia by big margins if they are to enter the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup.