- By Manik Sharma
- Tue, 17 Oct 2023 04:47 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Afghanistan's remarkable upset victory over England at the ODI World Cup 2023 was their second victory of the marquee tournament ever. But it was not without its share of controversy as Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the talented Afghan opener, found himself in trouble as he was reprimanded for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the match.
Gurbaz's breach occurred during the 19th over of Afghanistan's innings when, after being run out for a commendable 80, he expressed his frustration by slamming his bat on the boundary rope and a nearby chair. This outburst didn't go unnoticed and led to the Code of Conduct violation.
Gurbaz recognized his error and admitted the offence. He willingly accepted the sanction proposed by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees. This resulted in one demerit point being added to Gurbaz's disciplinary record, marking his first offence within a 24-month period.
It's worth noting that when a player accumulates four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, these points are converted into suspension points, which can result in a player being banned.
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Level 1 breaches carry a range of penalties. These penalties include an official reprimand, a maximum fine of 50 percent of the player's match fee, and one or two demerit points. In Gurbaz's case, it was the official reprimand and a solitary demerit point.
Despite this incident, Afghanistan's historic victory over England was a moment of pride for their team and fans. This win marked Afghanistan's first World Cup victory of the campaign, keeping them alive in the tournament.
The defending champion England will be looking to bounce back from the disappointment on October 21 against South Africa. The Afghan team, led by captain Hashmatullah Shahidi are riding high on this victory. Their next challenge awaits them against the unbeaten New Zealand side in Chennai on Wednesday.