ICC reprimand Virat Kohli for 'shoulder barge' in 3rd T20I

Virat Kohli was accused of having violated Article 2.12 of ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel by the on-field umpires Nitin Menon and C K Nandan along with third umpire Anil Chaudhary and fourth official Chettihody Shamshuddin. He has accepted the charges, eliminating the need for a formal hearing. 

The Indian skipper has thus been sanctioned with a demerit point along with an official warning, as was decided by Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referee’s member, Richie Richardson. A demerit point is valid for 24 months and an accumulation of the same could lead to a suspension being imposed by the ICC.

The incident occurred during the fifth over of India’s batting when the 30-year-old was batting. While taking a run, he brushed the bowler’s shoulder which deemed to have amounted to a level one breach under Article 2.12 of the Code, which deals with “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator) during an International Match.” 

This was the third time that Kohli has been reprimanded for being in violation of the Code. Incidentally, the first offence had also taken place against the Proteas in the Pretoria Test early last year, while the second one took place earlier this year in a World Cup fixture against Afghanistan. Another demerit point will see it getting converted to a suspension point, two of which amount to a suspension from either a Test, two ODIs or two T20s.