International Cricket Council Reprimands Bangladesh Women’s Captain
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially reprimanded Nigar Sultana Joyti, the captain of the Bangladesh women’s team, for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct. The incident occurred during the third T20I against Sri Lanka in Sylhet on Saturday. According to an official statement from the Council, Joyti violated Level 1 of the Code of Conduct.
Joyti was charged with abusing cricket equipment, which led to her receiving a demerit point under Article 2.2. This article specifically addresses “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment, or fixtures and fittings during an international match.”
This is the first demerit point for Joyti in the last two years. In a statement released on Monday, the ICC noted that:
“Nigar admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Supriya Rani Das of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.”
What Led to the Reprimand?
During the third T20I against Sri Lanka Women, Joyti was dismissed for scoring 13 runs while chasing. After being dismissed by Chamari Athapaththu, she became frustrated and smashed her bat on the ground while leaving the field.
The allegations were brought forward by the officiating panel, which included on-field umpires Eloise Sheridan and Shathira Jakir Jesy, along with third umpire Rokeya Sultana and fourth umpire Champa Chakma.
Understanding Level 1 Offences
Level 1 offences can result in penalties ranging from a formal warning to a fine of up to 50 percent of a player’s match fee, in addition to one or two demerit points.
It is important to note that if a player accumulates four or more demerit points within a stipulated period, those points are converted into suspension points, which can lead to a ban. Two suspension points result in a suspension from either one Test match, two ODIs, or two T20Is, depending on the format the player is scheduled to play.
Match Summary
Sri Lanka Women narrowly defeated Bangladesh Women by three runs in a rain-shortened 9-over contest held in Sylhet. Chamari Athapaththu was the standout performer, scoring 41 off 27 balls to guide Sri Lanka to a total of 87/6.
In response, Bangladesh managed to score 84/6, with notable contributions from Sobhana Mostary (21) and Nigar Sultana (13). Athapaththu also played a crucial role with the ball, taking two wickets to secure a 3-0 series sweep.
