Haris Rauf received demerit points for Asia Cup gesture without prior notice; ICC hearing didn’t discuss it: Report

Rauf was banned after accumulating four demerit points following a controversial gesture during two separate Asia Cup matches against India. However, a report in Geo News claimed that the right-armer was never informed about the demerit points during the ICC hearing.

ALSO READ: At 37, Virat Kohli takes one step at a time: World Cup dream alive, legacy burning bright

During the hearing conducted by ICC Match Referee Richie Richardson, Rauf was again found guilty of breaching Article 2.21 after repeating the same ‘jet-crashing’ gesture during the Asia Cup final, the same offence for which he had been punished earlier. He was fined 30 per cent of his match fee, with the report adding that the penalty could have been reduced had he accepted the charge. However, his refusal led to the full fine being imposed. The report also claimed that demerit points were not discussed during the hearing and were “added later without prior notice.”

On September 21, Rauf was caught on camera making the controversial gesture multiple times during the Super Four game against India in Dubai. He was hence fined 30 per cent of his match fee, resulting in two demerit points. A week later, in the tournament final against Suryakumar Yadav's men, he repeated the same gesture after taking a catch to dismiss Abhishek Sharma off a Faheem Ashraf delivery, and hence was handed the same punishment.

In the other sanctions, Pakistan's opening batter, Sahibzada Farhan, received an official warning and a demerit point for his 'gun firing' celebration during the Asia Cup game against India on September 14. Meanwhile, Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was also handed a similar punishment for his breach of the ICC code of conduct during the final against India. In response to Rauf's act, he gave a send-off to the Pakistani bowler with the same gesture after dismissing him in the final.

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, who made a political comment after India beat Pakistan on September 14, was fined 30% of his match fee and received two demerit points.

Click here to read article