Harmanpreet Kaur, who was heavily chastised for leading by example in the third match of the ICC Women’s Championship series against Bangladesh, was fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday for violating the Code of Conduct. The India captain has been suspended for the next two international matches after slamming the stumps and mocking the umpires. The judgment is a major setback for the Indian ladies, whose next two matches will be at the Asian Games, where they will now begin their campaign without their captain.
Harmanpreet Singh sparked new controversy after being given out by the umpire in the third ODI against Bangladesh on Saturday. She was ruled out leg before wicket off a Nahida Akter delivery while attempting to sweep. Despite Harmanpreet’s protests and claims that she had a bottom edge, there was no DRS (Decision Review System) available to help the Indian batter. Surprisingly, there was no DRS available for the entire series between the two women’s teams, and all three games were also not televised live on television.
Harmanpreet destroyed the stumps in protest at the match umpire’s decision before taking the long route back to the pavilion. After the game, the Indian captain slammed the match officials, calling them “pathetic” and joking that the umpires should join the India and Bangladesh teams in the trophy celebration. Several giants of the game lambasted the Indian women’s skipper for her ‘deplorable’ behavior in the aftermath of the issue.
Harmanpreet was penalized half of her match money for the Level 2 offense. She has three demerit points on her disciplinary record as well. After being found guilty of violating Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, the Indian captain was fined 25% of her salary for a Level 1 offense in which she took aim at the match umpires during the Bangladesh series.
Harmanpreet was charged by ICC international panel match referee Akter Ahmed, who is from Bangladesh. There was no need for a formal hearing because she admitted the offenses. The four demerit points will be converted to two suspension points, causing her to miss the first two games of the Asian Games, which begin on September 23.
‘I can’t condone Harmanpreet’s behavior; the game is bigger than people.’
Harmanpreet is one of India’s most valuable players, so the ICC suspending her for two international games will be detrimental.
The Bangladesh tour was India’s first since finishing as semifinalists in the T20 World Cup. In both T20s and ODIs, India struggled against Bangladesh. While Bangladesh’s success is encouraging for the sport, India’s result could have been much better given that India is undoubtedly the finest team in the subcontinent. While many players express their displeasure when they are out, the Indian captain took it a step further by destroying the stumps and giving the umpire an earful in Saturday’s last ODI in Mirpur.
The Indian team delivered a subpar performance. As subcontinent players, we are used to playing on low, slow, and turning tracks, and these pitches were no exception. The Indians are normally good spin players, but we suffered in that department. The team must work on this. The players did not adjust properly to the circumstances. A lot of it has to do with how someone prepares for a series. This was an excellent opportunity for young people to make their mark. The team appears to struggle with consistency in performance.
Harmanpreet is a good player who serves as a role model for many young people. As responsible cricketers, we must conduct ourselves in a polite manner both on and off the field. Previously, there was no coverage or presence on social media for women’s cricket; however, everything is in the public domain, and all activities are mimicked by aspiring kids who wish to play the sport.
It’s fine to be aggressive and display emotions to a degree, but don’t forget that the game takes precedence over people. While Harman’s pain is understandable, her actions cannot be tolerated. Also, what happens during the game should be left alone.
Harman has been the captain of the T20 team since 2016, so she is familiar with the procedure. If she has any problems, she can always report them to the match referee. In terms of bilateral series, DRS has only recently been adopted in women’s cricket. Prior to it, players had been subjected to a number of terrible umpiring rulings. However, no one has ever reacted in this manner in my memory.
A team is supposed to respect the opposition, especially in this series, where Bangladesh deserves credit for how they played and fought hard. This is beneficial to the sport of women’s cricket. If what has been reported in the media about Harman’s behavior toward the opposing captain at the photo session with the trophy is true, it is utterly awful and atrocious.
There is little use in engaging the opponent, especially when the series outcome has already been determined. The ICC suspending her for two international games will be detrimental to India, as Harmanpreet is one of the team’s most valuable players. I’m hoping that this incident will force her to rethink her strategy and better manage her emotions both on and off the field.
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