South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada has been banned for one match following his celebration after taking the wicket of Joe Root on day one of the third Test against England in Port Elizabeth.
The 24-year-old has been fined 15 percent of his match fee and has also received one demerit point after being found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
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”.
After the day’s play, Rabada admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the 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 which resulted in the one-match ban.
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 percent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.