The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a two-match ban on Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf for violating the code of conduct in the Twenty20 games against India during the Asia Cup held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
This suspension means Rauf will miss the first two matches but will be eligible to play in the third game of the ODI series against South Africa in Faisalabad on Saturday. Rauf accrued four demerit points from two separate incidents that occurred during Pakistan’s clashes with old rival India on September 14 and September 28.
According to the ICC statement, Rauf was found guilty of breaching the article that pertains to bringing the game into disrepute. Despite denying the charges on both occasions, formal hearings were conducted, and sanctions were imposed. The ICC rule stipulates that if a player amasses four demerit points within a 24-month period, an automatic two-match suspension is activated.
Consequently, Rauf was absent from Pakistan’s opening ODI match against South Africa, a game that Pakistan narrowly won by two wickets. The ongoing strained political relations between India and Pakistan manifested in Indian players refusing to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts in all three Asia Cup encounters, including no handshakes at the toss.
In addition to Rauf’s ban, Pakistan’s opening batter Sahibzada Farhan received an official warning and a demerit point for an offense committed during the Asia Cup game against India on September 14. Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah also faced similar consequences for breaching the ICC code of conduct during the final match against Pakistan.
Following India’s victory over Pakistan on September 14, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav made a political comment that resulted in a 30% fine of his match fee and two demerit points being added to his record. While Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha criticized the Indian players’ decision not to shake hands as against the spirit of the game, Yadav defended his team’s gesture, stating that some matters are “bigger than sportsman’s spirit.”
Pakistan, attributing the no handshake directive to match referee Andy Pycroft from Zimbabwe, almost withdrew from the tournament before eventually playing the group game against the United Arab Emirates after a delay of over an hour, claiming Pycroft had issued an apology.
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