Kagiso Rabada fined for breaching ICC Code of Conduct; to miss fourth Test against England

South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada has been fined 15% of his match fee 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 first day of the 3rd Test match against England in Port Elizabeth on Thursday.

The South African bowler was found to have violated Article 2.5 of the code, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his or her dismissal during an international match”.

The charge relates to Rabada’s actions following the dismissal of Joe Root. After the day’s play, Rabada admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

Rabada has now accumulated four demerit points in a 24 month period and as such will miss South Africa’s next Test match. The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Bruce Oxenford and third umpire Joel Wilson as well as fourth umpire Allahudien Paleker.

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.

Kagiso Rabada’s previous three demerit points

Previously, Kagiso Rabada was fined on three occasions and this turns out to be his fourth demerit point in last 24 months. He was first fined 15% of match fee during the ODI series against India in February 2018. The offence was similar to the one he has been charged on this occasion. In March 2018, his actions were deemed contrary to the spirit of the game against Steve Smith during the Test series against Australia.

In the same Test match, he was again charged for an aggressive send-off to David Warner. South Africa will now miss their premier pacer in the fourth and final Test match of the series following his recent offence.