Rabada, Dickwella penalised for breaching ICC Code of Conduct

Sri Lanka opener Niroshan Dickwella and South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada have both been fined 50 per cent of their match fees after being found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the fourth ODI of the ongoing five-match series in Cape Town last evening.

The two players were found to have breached Article 2.2.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "Inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other Person (including a spectator) in the course of play during an International Match".

In addition to the fines, three demerit points have been added to both Dickwella and Rabada's disciplinary records.

Pursuant to Article 7.6 of the Code, if Dickwella and Rabada reach four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they will be converted into suspension points and they will be banned. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

The incident happened in the 12th over when the two players made contact with each other at the non-striker's end after the batsman had completed a single, which such contact being judged to have been avoidable.

Both the players admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Adrian Holdstock and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Richard Kettleborough and fourth umpire Shaun George.

All level 2 breaches carry an imposition of a fine between 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the applicable match fee and/or up to two suspension points, and three or four demerit points.