ICC Reprimands Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz For Smashing His Bat On Boundary Rope And Chair Against England

Afghanistan's stunning shock victory over England in the 2023 ODI World Cup was their second-ever triumph in the legendary competition. However, there was some controversy as well. During the match, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the gifted Afghan opener, was penalised for violating Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

Gurbaz's break came in the 19th over of Afghanistan's innings when, having been dismissed for an impressive 80, he let out his displeasure by banging his bat against the chair and the boundary rope. This outburst was observed, and it resulted in a breach of the code of conduct.

Gurbaz acknowledged his mistake and acknowledged the crime. Jeff Crowe of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees graciously offered him the sanction, which he gladly accepted. Gurbaz's disciplinary record was updated with one demerit point as a result, which was his first transgression in a 24-month period.

It is important to note that a player may be banned if they receive four or more demerit points in a 24-month period. These points can then be converted into suspension points.

There are several consequences for Level 1 violations. These sanctions consist of one or two demerit points, an official reprimand, and a maximum punishment equal to 50% of the player's match fee. For Gurbaz, there was a single demerit point and an official reprimand.

Afghanistan's historic triumph over England was a source of pride for their squad and supporters notwithstanding this occurrence. Afghanistan's victory kept them alive in the tournament and was their first of the World Cup campaign.

England, the reigning champion, will try to recover from their defeat to South Africa on October 21. With this triumph, the Afghan team, captained by Hashmatullah Shahidi, is experiencing a high. They will face the undefeated New Zealand team in Chennai on Wednesday in their next match.