Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the Afghan opener, faced disciplinary action from the ICC following his team’s thrilling victory over England in the 2023 World Cup. Gurbaz’s transgression took place during the match at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, where he breached Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.
The incident occurred during the 19th over of the Afghanistan innings when Gurbaz, the wicketkeeper-batter for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), displayed his frustration by forcefully hitting his bat against the boundary rope and a chair after being run-out for a solid 80 runs.
His actions fell under Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which pertains to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.” Gurbaz accepted his wrongdoing and the penalty imposed by Match Referee Jeff Crowe, resulting in the addition of a demerit point to his disciplinary record, marking his first infraction within a 24-month period.
Gurbaz had played a pivotal role in Afghanistan’s match against England, scoring 80 runs off 57 balls with eight fours and four sixes. He also contributed to a remarkable 114-run partnership with Ibrahim Zadran. Unfortunately, he was run out while attempting a risky single, leaving him visibly frustrated as he narrowly missed a century.
Despite the setback, Afghanistan recovered during the middle overs to post a competitive total of 284, with wicketkeeper-batter Ikram Akhilil’s 58-run innings supporting their bid to reach the 300-run mark. The Afghan spin duo of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman then spearheaded the bowling attack, leading to England’s demise. England struggled from the outset and was eventually bowled out for 215, leading to Afghanistan’s second victory in the ICC World Cup since their debut in 2015.
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