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India captain Virat Kohli will be suspended if he gets another demerit point by 15 January 2020 India captain Virat Kohli has been given one demerit point – moving him closer to a ban – after making contact with South Africa’s Beuran Hendricks.
The incident happened during Sunday’s third Twenty20 international, with Kohli found guilty of making ‘inappropriate physical contact’ with the bowler while taking a run.
He has been given a third demerit point by the International Cricket Council.
If the 30-year-old gets one more by 15 January 2020, he faces a ban. Players who accrue four demerit points in a two-year period are given a suspension. Kohli’s first point came on 15 January 2018.
On this occasion, the batsman accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Richie Richardson.
According to a release issued by the International Cricket Council, Kohli breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “Inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator) during an International Match.”
This was Virat Kohli’s third offence since the demerit point system was introduced in 2016. He received one demerit point each during the Pretoria Test against South Africa on January 15, 2018 and against Afghanistan during a World Cup match on June 22, 2019.
Virat Kohli had led India to a convincing victory in the second T20I against South Africa on September 18 after the first match was washed out. However, Kohli and other other Indian batsmen failed on Sunday as South Africa romped home to a 9-wicket victory. The 3-match T20I series was drawn 1-1 and India lost the chance to secure their first ever T20I series win over South Africa at home.—Agencies
