Sri Lanka women’s team wicketkeeper Anushka Sanjeewani was fined 15 percent of her match fees after she was found guilty of breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during her team’s ICC T20 World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh on Sunday, February 13.
Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana had won the toss and chosen to bat first. Sobhana Mostary (29), Sultana (28), and Shamima Sultana (20) were the top scorers for the Bangla team as they posted 126/8 in 20 overs. Oshadi Ranasinghe of Sri Lanka picked 3/23 and Chamari Atapattu took 2 wickets.
In reply, Harshitha Samarawickrama scored 69* with 8 fours and 1 six while opening the innings for Sri Lanka and though they lost a few wickets in middle, Nilakshi de Silva’s 41* in 38 balls, helped Harshitha take Sri Lanka across the finish line in 18.2 overs with 7 wickets in hand. Marufa Akhtar picked all three Sri Lankan wickets to fall.
Anushka Sanjeewani Found Guilty Of Breaching ICC Code Of Conduct Regarding Use Of Foul Language
Meanwhile, after the match, it was announced on the ICC website that Sri Lankan keeper Anushka Sanjeewani was found guilty of breaching Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to using any language, action, or gesture towards a batter upon their dismissal which has the potential to provoke an aggressive reaction from the dismissed batter.
The incident happened in the 10th over of Bangladesh innings, when Sanjeewani ran aggressively towards batter Sobhana Mostary after her dismissal, while clinching her fists in celebration.
Sanjeewani admitted the offense and accepted the sanction proposed by GS Lakshmi of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing. However, Sanjeewani also copped one demerit point to her disciplinary record.
On-field umpires Anna Harris and Sue Redfern, third umpire Jacqueline Williams, and fourth umpire Kim Cotton leveled the charge. 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.