India vs South Africa: Virat Kohli Gets Demerit Point for Breaching ICC Code of Conduct

India skipper Virat Kohli got an official warning and a demerit point after being found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during Sunday’s third T20I against South Africa.

The incident took place in the fifth over of India’s innings when Kohli made contact with bowler Beuran Hendricks in the process of taking a run.

Kohli admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Richie Richardson of the and as such there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Nitin Menon and C K Nandan, third umpire Anil Chaudhary and fourth official Chettihody Shamshuddin levelled the charge.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Kohli was found to have 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.”

Thus one demerit point was added to Kohli’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the third offence.

Kohli now has three demerit points after having got one demerit point each during the Pretoria Test against South Africa on 15 January 2018 and against Afghanistan in the ICC World Cup 2019 on 22 June.