Indian women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur could miss the first two games of the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on charges of equipment abuse and public criticism of match officials after India's tied third ODI against Bangladesh on Saturday, July 22.
Harmanpreet was adjudged leg before off a Nahida Akter delivery while trying to sweep but she claimed that she got a bottom edge. In a fit of rage, she smashed the stumps before walking back to the pavilion.
Later at the post-match presentation ceremony, she termed the level of umpiring as 'pathetic' and sarcastically asked the umpires to join the teams for the trophy ceremony. "I think (there is) a lot of learning for us from the game. Even apart from the cricket, the kind of umpiring that was happening, we were very surprised. The next time we come to Bangladesh we will make sure we have to deal with this type of umpiring and prepare ourselves accordingly," Harmanpreet told the broadcaster after the match.
Her behaviour has been widely criticised. It also prompted Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana to walk away with her team as she asked her Indian counterpart to learn some 'manners'.
"There is still some deliberation going on whether she should get three demerit points or four as there are two charges -- match equipment abuse and criticism of match officials. In case there are four demerit points in a space of 24 months, you either miss a Test or two limited-over games -- in this case first two games of Asiad. In case, it is three, then she will only cop financial penalty," a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
The charges against Harmanpreet have been pressed by ICC international panel match referee Akter Ahmed, who is also from Bangladesh. Both teams were locked at identical scores of 225 and three-match ODI series ended in a 1-1 draw after India gave up their chance to win the match from a favourable position.
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