South African pacer Kagiso Rabada has been banned for one match after being found guilty of a “Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel” during the opening day of the ongoing third Test against England in Port Elizabeth.
Rabada castled Root with a magical delivery and was pumped up. He let out a roar right in front of the batsma𝕴n, Joe Root, and that celebration was deemed as overaggressive.
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The on-field umpires deemed Rabada’s celebration inappropriate on the grounds of “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his or her dismissal during an international match” as per the ICC code of conduct. Moreover, the match referee fined the speedster 15% of his match fee and also added a demerit point against his name.
That took Rabada to four demerit points which convert to a ban of one T🌠est or two ODIs or four T20Is whichever comes first. Hence, the 24-year-old fast bowler will miss the fourth Test in Johannesburg.
However, former cricketers weren’t happy with the ICC’s decision. They felt it was harsh as Rabada was letting out his emotion, and it’s completely normal for anyone to let out his feelings and show some aggression if it’s within the laws. Rabada did not utter anything to Root, either.
I understand that cricket needs to be played in the spirit of the game♑ but to ban for a test match for over celebrating to me is ridiculous. I also know that he has pushed the boundaries before but come on! No swearing involved! Love his passion. Don’t agree
— @BrettLee_58 (@BrettLee_58)
Context .. 33 degree heat.. high humidity.. flat pitch … not given new ball .. gets England captain .. best ball of the day … shows a bit too much emotion. Result Wanderers test will be poorer for no Rabada .. ps I know he has previous !
— Nasser Hussain (@nassercricket)
Rabada getting a 1 game ban for celebrating taking the Wicket of the opponents best player is absolutely bonkers … Over rates & slow play nothing gets done … Celebrate a wicked and you are banned … The World is bloody nuts …
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
Ban him. We hate the best players in ꦡthe worl꧅d playing anyway 🤥
— Mitchell McClenaghan (@Mitch_Savage)
Honestly. What a joke. And the ‘𝓀it’s only a demerit point’ nonsense is not an excuse for this to be ok.
— Trent Copeland (@copes9)
Lmao this is world class…. I feel so betrayed by 😂😂😂
(𓆏Side Note: Totally disagree with the decision to ban the best bowler in the world for showing some passion 🙄)
— Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90)
We are trying to get the next generation to keep test cricket alive and the a🌳re doing their best to drive them away. To ban a fast bowler after celebrating getting a top batter out on a flat wicket in 30 degree heat is beyond belief!!!
— Michael Carberry (@carbs646)
So question if one of the batters scores a century and runs down the wicket fist pumping and♊ leaping up and down is that case for demerit points???? 😐
— Michael Carberry (@carbs646)
Kagiso Rabada banned for next Test for screaming his heart out after dismissing the opposition's best batsman with the ball of this series. The only time ICC takes action is when it should not take action.
— Scyld Berry (@scyldberry)
