Ishant Sharma fined 15 percent of his match fee for breaching the code of conduct

Ishant Sharma has been fined 15 per cent of his match and has also received one demerit point after being found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel during the third day’s play in the first Test against England at Edgbaston on Friday.

The India fast bowler was found to have violated Article 2.1.7 of the code, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an international match”.

The incident happened during the first session’s play on Friday when Sharma celebrated the dismissal of Dawid Malan in close proximity to him, an action which in the view of the match officials had the potential to provoke an aggressive reaction from the departing batsman.

After the day’s play, Sharma admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Chris Gaffaney, third umpire Marais Erasmus, all from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, as well as fourth umpire Tim Robinson.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Sharma’s sensational spell

It was Ishant Sharma’s sensational spell which had reduced England to 87/7 in the second innings. He bowled with venom and made amends for his poor first innings effort. Moreover, his triple-wicket over had shocked the hosts. In the 31st over of the innings, he scalped the key wickets of Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler either side of lunch. He also picked eighth wicket haul in the innings and returned with the figures of 5/51.

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