SA vs ENG | Kagiso Rabada banned for one Test after 'over the top' celebration

South Africa have been dealt a body blow ahead of the fourth and final Test against England in Johannesburg, with ace pacer Kagiso Rabada being slapped with a one-match ban by the ICC owing to him accumulating four demerit points over the course of the last 24 months. Rabada, on Thursday, came up with an over-the-top 'in your face' celebration post the dismissal of English skipper Joe Root, resulting in him earning one demerit point.

Owing to him having already accumulated three demerit points over the last 24 months, the level one offence yesterday meant that Rabada collected his 4th demerit point, meaning he, in turn, needed to serve a one-match suspension for the same. Rabada was also docked 15% of his match fee for his celebration.

The pacer breached article 2.5 of the ICC code of conduct, which is "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match". It was the very same opposition, England, against who Rabada was banned back in 2017, for giving an expletive-filled send-off for Ben Stokes.