Harmanpreet to miss start of Asian Games after pleading guilty to ICC charges

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur is set to miss the first two matches of the Asian Games, having been suspended by the ICC for breaching the code of conduct during the final ODI of the Bangladesh series.

Harmanpreet, who had reacted angrily to her dismissal by smashing the stumps after being caught, pleaded guilty to two different charges pressed by the match referee Akhtar Ahmed.

In a media release on Tuesday, the ICC confirmed that Harmanpreet received three demerit points relating to "showing dissent at an umpire's decision". Harmanpreet becomes the first women's player to be handed a Level 2 sanction since the ICC started listing code of conduct breaches publicly in 2016. The India captain was also fined 50% of her match fee for the same offence.

Harmanpreet also received a separate Level 1 penalty along with a fine of 25% of her match fee and one demerit point for "public criticism" of match officials, having described the umpiring in the Bangladesh series as "pathetic".

As per the ICC's rules, when a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points. Anything in the range of four to seven demerit points equates to two suspension points i.e. a ban from one Test, two ODIs or two T20Is, depending on which comes first in the player's schedule.

The last time Harmanpreet earned a demerit point was during the semi-final of the 2017 ODI World Cup against Australia. After working legspinner Kristen Beams through midwicket, she was involved in a mix-up with Deepti Sharma before they completed the double that brought up Harmanpreet's century. Instead of celebrating the milestone, Harmanpreet flung her helmet to the ground and fired verbal volleys at Deepti. Harmanpreet was found guilty of a Level 1 offence, which she had accepted.

After the game in Dhaka, India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana supported Harmanpreet's actions by saying her captain disagreed with the umpire's call and that led to an angry reaction. Mandhana also said she expected "neutral umpires" to be present when India tour Bangladesh next time.

Players breaking the stumps - either with the bat or by kicking them - while reacting to umpiring decisions is a rare occurrence in top-flight cricket. Coincidentally, the most recent case also happened in Bangladesh: in 2021, Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan was suspended for three matches and fined US$ 5800 (approx.) during a Dhaka Premier League T20 match between Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club.

India women's next campaign will be at the Asian Games in Hanghzou in China between September 23 and October 8. India will be fielding both men's and women's teams at the Games, which features the T20 format.