The ICC sanctions Bangladesh's Sakib for 'inappropriate contact with the Nepal captain during the T20 World Cup'

Bangladesh bowler penalised by ICC for breaching the code of conduct with 15 per cent of match fees.

Bangladesh bowler penalised by the ICC for breaching the code of conduct with 15 percent of match fees.

ICC charged Bangladesh fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib for alleged physical contact with Nepal captain Rohit Paudel in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Group D match at the Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Sunday (June 16). The young right-arm pacer was charged with a Level 1 offence of the ICC Code of Conduct and as a result, got fined 15 per cent of his fees. Besides this one demerit point has been marked against Tanzim and it was his first offence within 24 months.

Having accrued four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, the demerit points are translated into suspension points and a player is suspended. Two suspension points amount to one Test ban or two one-day ban or two T20 ban depending on whichever comes first with the player. Level 1 offences have a starting point of an official reprimand, a maximum point of 50% of the player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

It was also found that Tanzim violated Article 2. 12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel which is conduct ‘5.2.4 Inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person including a spectator during an International Match’.

The accident happened when M. Raj was bowling the final ball of the third over of Nepal’s inning. Tanzim, often after he bowled a delivery, would sledge up to Nepali batsman Rohit Paudel menacingly. The duo engaged in some verbal exchange and Bangladesh’s pacer could be heard booming, “What happened”? In utterance while charging towards Paudel. This verbal communication then translated to the physical, in terms of ‘touching’ inappropriately. The signals were interpreted and were separately addressed by the on-field umpires as well as by the respective teammates.

Tanzim admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees which is why no hearing took place.

Match referees Ahsan Raza and Sam Nogajski, third umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal and fourth Kumar Dharmasena are the accused.

That was Nepal Vs Bangladesh and Tanzim was the Player of the Match. He even bowled four wickets for only seven runs to force Nepal to get all out for 85 when chasing a target of 106. It gave Bangladesh the much-needed nine wickets win which saw the team qualify to the Super Eight stage of the tournament while for Nepal who gave their best performance, they were eliminated from the tournament after four successive losses.