WATCH | Kagiso Rabada suspended for giving Ben Stokes a "send off"

WATCH | Kagiso Rabada suspended for giving Ben Stokes a "send off"

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Kagiso Rabada will miss South Africa’s second Test against England after he notched up a fourth demerit point on ICC's code of conduct for using foul language against Ben Stokes, after dismissing the Englishman. Rabada already had 3 demerit points for his spat with Niroshan Dickwella in February.

As talented and capable as Rabada is, his emotions sometimes tend to get the better of him. He was earlier fined 50 per cent of his match fees. along with Dickwella, for violating Article 2.2.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct, during the 4th ODI against Sri Lanka on February 8th this year.

The law pertains 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 the 12th over of Sri Lanka's innings, Dickwella had made contact with Rabada at the bowler's end after taking a single. However, in accordance with the code of conduct, such contact could have been avoided. Both cricketers acknowledged the offence and agreed to the sanction recommended by Riche Richardson - the Match Referee.

But more significantly for Rabada and Dickwella, the incident also resulted in the accumulation of three demerit points which has now come back to haunt the South African. In the latest incident, Rabada picked up a fourth point for "using inappropriate language" after dismissing Ben Stokes on the opening day of the first Test at Lord's.

This time, according to the ICC,  Rabada was found guilty of breaching article 2.1.7 of the Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, after he yelled “F**k O**” to Ben Stokes after dismissing the English all-rounder. This also earned Rabada a fine of 15% of his match fee.

You can watch the incident here: 

"As Rabada had received a 50 percent fine and three demerit points in the fourth One-Day International against Sri Lanka in Cape Town on 8 February 2017, with the addition of this one demerit point, he has reached the threshold of four demerit points, which, pursuant to Article 7.6 of the Code, have now been converted into two suspension points," the ICC said in a statement.

The four demerit points will remain on Rabada's record and if he reaches the next threshold of 8 to 11, it would result in 4 suspension points, which equate to a ban from one Test and two ODIs or two T20Is, two Tests or four ODIs or four T20Is, whatever comes first. 

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