Bangladesh Premier League's franchise Sylhet Sunrisers' skipper Ravi Bopara, who was earlier captured running his fingers over the ball in the tournament's ongoing edition, has been docked 75 per cent of his match fee and three demerit points. It came down as a huge relief for the English cricketer who was handed a three-match ban by the match referee after the incident that came to the fore on Monday (February 7) during the match against Khulna Tigers. On Tuesday he appealed further and the BPL technical committee overturned the match referee’s decision.
The match referee Debabrata Paul initially handed a three-match suspension to the 36-year-old Bopara but the final decision rested with the tournament technical committee A.S.M. Roquibul Hassan. The technical committee decided to sanction penalties and hand a lighter sentence following an appeal by Bopara on Wednesday (February 8).
Bopara was caught on camera running his finger over the ball during the ninth over of the Khulna innings. The on-field umpires Mahfuzur Rahman and Prageeth Rambukwella duly stopped play, quickly inspected the condition and changed the ball during the over. Bopara and wicketkeeper Anamul Haque tried speaking to the umpires but to no avail. The Sylhet Sunrisers were eventually penalised five runs for trying to change the condition of the ball. The incident has created a stir in the country’s cricket area since then. Following the incident, the BPL committee banned Bopara for three matches. However, Bopara got an opportunity to appeal.
“The technical committee reversed the suspension and executed the fine in accordance with the authority awarded to it in Article 8.2.3.4 of the [tournament’s] code of conduct which states that ‘the Technical Committee shall have the power to increase or decrease, amend or otherwise substitute a new decision on the appropriateness (or otherwise) of the sanction imposed at first instance’,” a BCB statement said.
“It is further confirmed as per Article 8.2.3.6 that, ‘Any decision made by the Technical Committee under this Article 8.2, shall be the full, final and complete disposition of the matter and will be binding on all parties’,” the statement added.
It was also also the first time Bopara was captaining a team in the BPL, replacing Mosaddek Hossain. Sylhet Sunrisers are now scheduled to face Comilla Victorians later on Wednesday
