The International Cricket Council (ICC) has penalised Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana for making gestures during her team’s Asia Cup group match against India last week. Two days after India gave Pakistan a record T20 loss in the regional championship, Sana was penalised 10% of her match fee by the ICC on Monday.
Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which deals with “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,” was found to have been violated by Fatima.
Interestingly, the ICC stipulates that the demerit points stay on a player’s disciplinary record for twenty-four months following their imposition. According to this rule, Fatima will be suspended if she accrues four or more points in the allotted twenty-four months. She might be banned from one Test, two ODIs, or two T20Is, depending on which happens first. A ban is equivalent to two suspension points.
The most recent incident happened in the second over of India’s innings when Fatima waved toward the pavilion after dismissing opener Shafali Verma. There was no need for a formal hearing because Fatima acknowledged the wrongdoing and agreed to the punishment suggested by Supriya Rani Das of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees. The charge was levelled by third umpire Rokeya Sultana, fourth umpire Rabab Ahsan, and on-field umpires Nimali Perera and Shathira Jakir Jesy.
Level 1 infractions result in one or two demerit points, a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, and a maximum penalty of fifty per cent of a player’s match fee.
