Ishant Sharma has been fined 15% of his match and has also received one demerit point after being found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Support Personnel during the third day’s play in the first Test against England at Edgbaston on Friday.
The incident took place during the first session’s play on Friday when Ishant celebrated the dismissal of Dawid Malan in close proximity to him, an action which in the view of the match officials had the potential to provoke an aggressive reaction from the departing batsman.
The India fast bowler was found to have violated Article 2.1.7 of the code, 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”.
After the day’s play, Ishant admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Jeff Crowe.
The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Chris Gaffaney, third umpire Marais Erasmus as well as fourth umpire Tim Robinson.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50% of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
