Afghanistan wicket-keeper batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz was reprimanded with one demerit point to his disciplinary record for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during England vs Afghanistan game in the ICC World Cup 2023. Gurbaz was fined for slamming his bat on the boundary ropes after he was run out against England. He was also seen murmuring something to his captain Hashmatullah Shahidi on his way back to the pavilion.
The sanctions were imposed by umpire Jeff Crowe. Gurbaz admitted the offence and there was no need for an official hearing. Afghanistan registered their first win in the ICC World Cup since 2015 with a thumping 69-run victory over the defending champions England at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Afghanistan was on top with both bat and ball and put England under tremendous pressure. Asked to bat first, they scored 284 runs on the back of half-centuries from Gurbaz (80) and Ikram Alikhil (58), as well as important contributions from Ibrahim Zadran (28), Rashid Khan (22), and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (28).
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With the ball, Afghanistan didn’t let England get on top even once. They kept chipping in with wickets at regular intervals. Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman bowled impressively and bundled out England for 215 runs to win the game by 69 runs.
Afghanistan player Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been handed an official reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup league match against England in Delhi on Sunday.
Gurbaz was found to have breached Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of…
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) October 17, 2023
Afghanistan will be next seen in action when they take on New Zealand on Tuesday (17th October) in Chennai. The surface there is expected to suit their spinners and it will be no surprise if they emerge victorious against the Black Caps, who are yet to lose a game in the ICC World Cup 2023.
Afghanistan’s victory over England was a major upset and a testament to their growing strength as a cricketing nation. They have a talented and balanced squad, and they are capable of beating any team on their day.
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Gurbaz’s outburst on the field was unfortunate, but it is important to remember that he is still a young player and he is learning the ropes. He has apologized for his actions and hopefully, he will learn from this experience. Overall, it is an exciting time for Afghan cricket and the fans will be hoping that the team can continue to perform well in the ICC World Cup 2023.
