India`s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, has been found guilty by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching its code of conduct. The charges relate to his comments made after the Asia Cup group match on September 14, which were deemed to allude to the military skirmish between India and Pakistan.
Yadav`s plea of not guilty was rejected by ICC match referee Richie Richardson, resulting in a fine of 30% of his match fee. The Indian team has since appealed this decision.
In separate incidents, two Pakistani players, Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf, underwent disciplinary hearings on Friday concerning their actions during the Super Four game between the two nations on September 21. Farhan was cited for a gun-miming celebration after scoring his fifty, while Rauf was observed making gestures interpreted as referencing the downing of aircraft. The outcomes of their hearings and any potential sanctions are still awaited.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had lodged a formal complaint with the ICC, arguing that Suryakumar`s remarks following the September 14 game – both at the presentation ceremony and the post-match press conference – constituted a violation of the ICC`s policy against political messaging. The PCB`s complaint highlighted Yadav`s dedication of “today`s victory to our armed forces,” which he later clarified was specifically directed at India`s armed forces involved in a military operation against Pakistan in May.
The PCB had pushed for a Level 4 sanction against Suryakumar, reserved for severe code of conduct breaches. They cited previous instances where the ICC prevented or penalized players for political expressions, such as Usman Khawaja`s attempt to wear shoes inscribed with “Freedom is a human right.”
The timeline for India`s appeal hearing remains unconfirmed. Should the appeal be unsuccessful, Suryakumar`s sanction could be further increased.
Tensions were notably high between India and Pakistan even before their group match on September 14, marked by India`s refusal to shake hands with the Pakistani team. The Super Four encounter also saw multiple confrontations, with India`s Abhishek Sharma accusing Pakistan of “attacking us without any reason.” Both Farhan and Rauf also pleaded not guilty, asserting their gestures were not political. However, the PCB privately anticipates that both players will likely face fines.
