Afghanistan wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been reprimanded for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the historic win against England in the 2023 World Cup on Sunday (October 15) after he slammed his bat on the boundary rope and chair following being run out on 80.
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Gurbaz, opening the innings, made a fine half-century and set the tone for Afghanistan for their second World Cup win in history. The 21-year-old started off strongly, reaching his half-century in only 33 balls, and added another 30 runs in the next 24 deliveries.
The youngster was looking set for the first-ever World Cup hundred by an Afghanistan batter, but a mix-up with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi led to his downfall. On the fifth ball of the 19th over, Shahidi did not get enough power on a flighted ball, which went towards the fielder at short mid-wicket.
The batter immediately set off for the single, but Gurbaz, whose vision of the ball was obstructed by the bowler, was late to react. Shahidi had already committed to the single, and Gurbaz obliged as a result. However, he failed to make it back in time as a direct hit from David Willey ended in his dismissal.
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Gurbaz made his displeasure known as he aimed to slammed his bat against the ground before walking off. He also smashed the boundary rope and a chair on his way to the pavilion, which eventually led to a breach of Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.
He was found to have breached Article 2.2, which relates to, “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”
