South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was recently fined 15 percent of his match fees for an indecent send off to Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan in the fifth ODI in Port Elizabeth. During the match, the Indian opener was going all guns blazing. Perhaps it was this reason that fired up Rabada to a great extent. The moment he managed to get the wicket of Shikhar Dhawan, he shouted ‘bye’ and even asked Dhawan to walk back to the pavilion.

The ICC officials took a note that Rabada’s behavior was against the spirit of the game, and hence, penalized him. And now, as per the recent quotes in the Deccan Chronicle, Kagiso Rabada’s father, Dr. Mpho Rabada, has also expressed the disagreement with the actions of his son. He backed the decision taken by the ICC to fine Kagiso for his actions. He called the send off to be an unnecessary one.

Also read: Rabada was fined for the send-off

As quoted in the Deccan Chronicle, Rabada said, “Dhawan send-off was unnecessary. The player has not only to be within the law but live in the spirit of the game which is a higher than the minimum standard. The management used criterion to usher fines and we have to give them the benefit of doubts that they applied their minds and found a sanction that is in line with not living in the spirit of the game. I have faith in the administrators. Players say all kind of things. I am 100% against that. Let us let the ball do the talking.”

Dr. Mpho restated his words and called the actions of Kagiso to be unnecessary ones. He rightly cited that in the end, every action of the player should be in the spirit of the game. The youngsters are bound to get emotional and excited on the field. But this certainly does not allow them to breach the levels of the code of conduct of the game.

Also read: Kagiso Rabada neglected the match fixing allegations

Dr. Mpho conceded said, “(My son’s) action was unnecessary and uncalled for (even if there were words or actions from batsmen directed to him during play). A person is 100 percent responsible for his own actions. The ultimate bar at the end is ALL has to be done in the greater spirit of the game. Young men and women have to always judge themselves against that threshold both on and off the field.”