India women’s cricket captain handed two-match ban for outburst

Kaur was reprimanded for smashing the wickets after her dismissal and terming the umpiring ‘pathetic’ in a match against Bangladesh.

India’s women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been banned for two matches by the game’s apex body for her verbal swipe at umpires and on-field behaviour against Bangladesh in a recent match.

Kaur was also fined 75 percent of her match fee by the International Cricket Council (ICC), it announced in a statement on Tuesday.

The incidents occurred during the third match of the ICC Women’s Championship series against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Saturday.

In the first incident, Kaur expressed frustration after her dismissal by hitting the wickets with her bat after she was adjudged caught at slip off spinner Nahida Akter in the 34th over of India’s innings. The all-rounder later called the umpiring “pathetic”.

Harmanpreet Kaur has been reprimanded for a breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third #BANvIND ODI 😯

— ICC (@ICC) July 25, 2023

Kaur was also reprimanded for her behaviour during the post-match presentation ceremony when she openly criticised the umpiring in the match.

She was heard telling her Bangladeshi counterpart Nigar Sultana to invite the umpires on stage, forcing the Bangladesh players to opt out of a joint photo session.

The ICC said Kaur admitted to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision” and “public criticism in relation to an incident occurring in an international match” and that she accepted her punishment.

Kaur is one of the biggest stars in the women’s game in India, which launched a women’s equivalent of the lucrative Indian Premier League earlier this year.

‘Set a bad example’

The 34-year-old has been viewed as an aggressive leader and dependable batter, and captained the Mumbai Indians to victory in the inaugural edition of the T20 tournament.

“I have been watching cricket for a long time, but have never seen anyone behave that way,” former women’s captain Diana Edulji wrote in her column in the Indian Express on Tuesday.

“She has set a bad example for her teammates,” Edulji said.

“It was deplorable to see Harmanpreet call the umpires to pose with the Bangladesh team, suggesting that they were part of the team and playing for them.”

Indian men’s World Cup winner Madan Lal also criticised Kaur.

“Harmanpreet’s behaviour against the Bangladesh women’s team was pathetic,” Lal tweeted.

“She is not bigger than the game. She got a very bad name for Indian cricket.”

India’s own cricket authorities “should take very strict disciplinary action”, he added.

Harmanpreet’s behaviour against the Bangladesh women’s team was pathetic. She is not bigger than the game. She got a very bad name for Indian cricket. BCCI should take very strict disciplinary action.

— Madan Lal (@MadanLal1983) July 23, 2023