India pacer Mohammed Siraj and Australia batter Travis Head have been penalized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for their fiery on-field exchange during the recent Adelaide Test. The incident unfolded on Day 2 of the pink-ball Test when Siraj, after dismissing Head, gave him a charged send-off, gesturing for the batter to head back to the pavilion.
Head, who had just completed a stellar century, exchanged words with Siraj before leaving the field. His knock was instrumental in Australia’s dominant 10-wicket victory, levelling the five-match series at 1-1. Later, Head claimed that he was complimenting Siraj’s bowling, a gesture he believed the Indian pacer misunderstood. However, Siraj dismissed this explanation outright.
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The ICC announced sanctions against both players, citing breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct. “Siraj has been penalized 20% of his match fee for violating Article 2.5, which pertains to using gestures or language that could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon dismissal,” the ICC stated.
Mohammed Siraj Receives 20% Fine for Heated Send-off to Travis Head in Adelaide pic.twitter.com/DytRWzGaQR
— NationPress (@np_nationpress) December 9, 2024
Similarly, Head was fined under Article 2.13, which addresses the “abuse of a player, support personnel, umpire, or match referee during an international match.” Both players were also handed one demerit point each on their disciplinary records, marking their first offenses in the past 24 months. They admitted to their respective violations and accepted the sanctions proposed by Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle.
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The Test saw India captain Rohit Sharma opting to bat first, only for the side to collapse to 180, largely due to Mitchell Starc’s sensational six-wicket haul. Head’s blistering 140 off 141 deliveries powered Australia to a total of 337, giving them a commanding 157-run lead. India’s second innings faltered even further as they were bowled out for 175, leaving Australia with a mere target of 19 runs, which they chased down in just 3.2 overs.
With the series now level, both teams are gearing up for the third Test, scheduled to begin at the iconic Gabba in Brisbane on December 14.
