Ishant suspended for one Test match for misconduct

Colombo, September 1

India fast bowler Ishant Sharma has been suspended for one Test match for breaching ICC Code of Conduct in the third Test against Sri Lanka after he got into a heated argument with three Sri Lankan players, Dhammika Prasad, Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne on field on the fourth day of the third Test . He will have to miss India's first Test against South Africa from November 5 at Mohali.

Chandimal was suspended for one ODI for “making deliberate physical contact” with Sharma. Sri Lanka’s next ODI will be against the West Indies on November 1 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

One Suspension Point in the Code equals a suspension from one ODI or one T20I, to be applied to the subsequent international match in which the player sanctioned is most likely to participate in.

Prasad and Lahiru Thirimanne were fined 50 per cent of their match fees.

"In a separate incident, which happened in the first over of Sri Lanka's second innings, Sharma was handed two Suspension Points for giving a send-off to opener Upul Tharanga", the ICC said in a statement, hours after India clinched a historic Test series win.

Sharma was charged under Article 2.1.7, which relates to "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match".

"This was the third time that Sharma been found guilty of giving the dismissed batsman a send-off during this series. Therefore, he has been suspended for his next match and will miss India's first Test against South Africa in Mohali from 5 November," the release stated.

Another offence within 12 months could mean imposition of eight Suspension Points or a suspension for between the equivalent of eight Suspension Points and one year.

Two Suspension Points in the Code equals a suspension from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, to be applied to the subsequent international matches in which the player sanctioned is most likely to participate in.

Sharma and Prasad got into an argument on Monday in the final over of India's second innings, which was being bowled by the Sri Lankan pacer.

Prasad bowled a couple of bouncers, which sharma left alone with a smile fixed for the Lankan pacer. An agitated Prasad bowled a third bouncer, an illegal move that was promptly signalled a no-ball by the umpire.

Having exhausted his quota of two bouncers for the over, Prasad pitched one up and Ishant cut it towards point region for a single. But as he ran past Prasad, he started tapping his helmet, a gesture that apparenty meant to annoy the fast bowler.

Once the run was complete, Prasad said a few angry things to Sharma, who,  in no mood to back down, walked up to the bowler.

While they were exchanging angry words, Dinesh Chandimal deliberately grazed Sharma's shirt and joined the argument, until Ravichandran Ashwin drew the attention of umpires Rod Tucker and Nigel Llong.

The umpires then called up Angelo Mathews to tell him to calm his players down.

Still seething, Prasad deliberately overstepped and bowled a fourth bouncer to Sharma after which the latter took a single.

The final delivery of the over saw Prasad dismissing Ashwin. But then, as Sharma was trudging towards the pavilion, Prasad ran towards him and said a few words.

Lahiru Thirimanne was fined after he did not heed umpires' warnings to not get involved in the incident.

Andy Pycroft of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees said: "Monday's incidents were not good advertisements for international cricket. These experienced cricketers forgot their fundamental responsibilities of respecting their opponents as well as the umpires, and got involved in incidents that were clearly against the spirit of the game. Their actions cannot be condoned and must be discouraged. Chandimal was not directly involved in the incident between Prasad and Sharma, but came into the conflict and made deliberate physical contact with Sharma, and had the umpires not intervened, the situation could have escalated.

"Following the close of play on Tuesday, the four players admitted the offences and accepted the proposed sanctions. As such, there was no need for formal hearings," the ICC release stated.

Ishant had been fined 65 per cent of his match fee for a previous showdown in the second Test. Thirimanne was also was fined 30 per cent of his match fee for showing dissent at the umpire's decision during the second Test. — PTI