ICC Cracks Down On Level 1 Breach, Docking Match Fees Of India Pacer Kranti Gaud

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday handed a financial penalty to India pacer Kranti Gaud after she was found guilty of breaching the Code of Conduct during the Women's Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Stadium. The 23-year-old was docked 10 per cent of her match fee and given one demerit point after being found guilty of breaching Level 1 of Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which covers the use of language, actions or gestures that could disparage or provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter following their dismissal.

The incident occurred during the opening over of Sri Lanka's run-chase in Sunday's final, when Gaud dismissed opener Imesha Dulani after castling her stumps, and followed up the wicket with a gesture directed towards the Sri Lankan pavilion. The gesture was deemed by match officials to have crossed the threshold set out under Article 2.5, leading on-field umpires Saleema Imtiaz and Shathira Jakir Jesy to level the charge against the Indian pacer during the course of the match.

Match referee Supriya Rani Das of the Emirates ICC International Panel subsequently proposed the sanction, which Gaud accepted along with an admission of the offence, allowing the matter to be resolved without the need for a formal hearing. The demerit point added to her disciplinary record marks her first offence within a rolling 24-month period, meaning it does not carry any suspension threat unless she incurs further breaches during that window. Under ICC guidelines, Level 1 offences can attract penalties ranging from an official reprimand at the lower end to a fine of up to 50 per cent of a player's match fee, with one or two demerit points depending on the severity of the breach.

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The sanction against Gaud came shortly after a separate ICC ruling fined Pakistan five per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate during their Women's Asia Cup semi-final defeat to Sri Lanka, with the team found to have bowled one over short of the required rate after time allowances were factored in. Pakistan captain Fatima Sana accepted the proposed punishment for that offence, which fell under Article 2.22 of the Code of Conduct governing minimum over-rate requirements.

Gaud's penalty, though procedurally significant, did little to dampen the outcome of the final itself, in which India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs to claim a record-extending eighth Women's Asia Cup title and reclaim the trophy they had lost in 2024. The victory was notable for a separate development after the match, with Harmanpreet Kaur's India team declining to accept the trophy directly from Asian Cricket Council President Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan's interior minister, adding a layer of political undertone to the post-match ceremony even as the on-field disciplinary matter involving Gaud was formally settled through the ICC's standard sanction process.

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