Southampton: The opening One-Day International between India and England, which saw the visitors clinch a four-wicket victory, concluded with disciplinary actions as Indian batter Pratika Rawal and the England team were penalised for breaching the ICC’s Code of Conduct. The sanctions, coming after a gripping encounter where India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, highlight the rigorous enforcement of cricketing regulations.
Pratika Rawal, India’s dynamic opener, found herself on the wrong side of the rulebook, incurring a fine of 10 per cent of her match fee along with one demerit point for a Level 1 breach. The penalty stemmed from two distinct incidents of “avoidable physical contact.” The first occurred in the 18th over of the Indian innings, where Rawal made contact with England bowler Lauren Filer while taking a single. The second incident followed swiftly in the very next over, after Rawal’s dismissal, when she again made avoidable contact, this time with bowler Sophie Ecclestone on her way back to the pavilion. The ICC confirmed these actions, noting that it was Rawal’s first offence within a 24-month period, thus adding a demerit point to her record.
Meanwhile, the England team faced a fine of five per cent of their match fee for a slow over-rate during the match. The ICC stated that the hosts were found to be “one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration,” in contravention of Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which outlines penalties for minimum over-rate offences. Both Pratika Rawal and England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt accepted the sanctions imposed by match referee Sarah Bartlett, negating the need for any formal hearings. India, riding high on their earlier five-match T20I series triumph, will be looking to carry this momentum into the remainder of the ODI series, even as the disciplinary actions serve as a reminder of the strict standards upheld in international cricket.