Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has been suspended for two matches after violating the ICC’s code of conduct during the Asia Cup matches against India in September. The announcement was made by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday.
In addition to Rauf, India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah, along with Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan, were also found guilty of breaching Article 2.21 of the ICC’s code, which addresses “conduct that brings the game into disrepute.” The ICC did not provide specific details regarding the nature of these violations.
The tension surrounding matches between India and Pakistan heightened following a brief military conflict between the two nations in May. This context amplified emotions on the field during their encounters in the eight-team tournament, which resulted in India winning all three matches against Pakistan. Notably, during these games, Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.
Reports from ESPNcricinfo indicated that Rauf engaged in provocative gestures, allegedly mimicking an aircraft going down, while Farhan celebrated by simulating holding a gun with his bat. Additionally, Yadav sparked controversy by dedicating India’s victory over Pakistan on September 14 to the Indian armed forces, leading to a complaint from the Pakistan Cricket Board to the ICC.
In another incident, Bumrah was noted for a gesture he made during the final match, which contributed to his citation for misconduct. Despite winning the final on September 28, India declined to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council president and Pakistan’s interior minister.
As a consequence of the infractions, Rauf has received four demerit points for two incidents and will miss Pakistan’s One-Day International matches against South Africa scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday. He was also fined 30% of his match fees for both offences. Yadav faced a similar penalty, while Bumrah and Farhan received official warnings.