West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has been suspended for two matches for angrily leaving the field during the third ODI against England after a disagreement with captain Shai Hope.
During the fourth over of the match, Joseph had an apparent disagreement regarding field placements with Hope. Off the fourth ball, he dismissed Jordan Cox, but the wicket didn’t calm the fast bowler. After completing the over, he stormed into the dressing room with West Indies starting the fifth over with 10 fielders.
He returned to the pitch in the sixth over but left again after two misfields off his bowling, which resulted in England running two runs off overthrows. Joseph eventually finished with 2-45 off his 10 overs, with West Indies winning the ODI series 2-1. After the match, West Indies head coach Darren Sammy slammed Joseph for his "unacceptable behaviour".
Alzarri Joseph angrily stormed off during the third West Indies-England ODI, seemingly upset with the field placements, leaving the hosts with 10 players.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) November 7, 2024
Darren Sammy is not pleased with his actions...
➡️ https://t.co/wpPYMbNdoo pic.twitter.com/ZIq7Y4b6za
Cricket West Indies hands two-match suspension
A day after the third ODI, CWI released a statement revealing Joseph had been handed a two-match ban for the on-field incident, with consultation with senior men's coaching staff.
"Cricket West Indies (CWI) has imposed a two-match suspension on fast bowler Alzarri Joseph following an on-field incident during the 3rd CG United ODI at the Kensington Oval, Barbados. As part of CWI’s ongoing commitment to upholding the highest levels of professionalism and integrity in the game, the incident, which involved conduct falling short of CWI’s standards of professionalism, was reviewed in consultation with the Senior Men's coaching staff," read the statement.
"Alzarri's behaviour did not align with the core values that Cricket West Indies upholds. Such conduct cannot be overlooked, and we have taken decisive action to ensure the gravity of the situation is fully acknowledged," said Miles Bascombe, CWI Director of Cricket.
Joseph: My passion got the best of me
Joseph accepted the sanctions, saying his passion got the better of him. He claimed to have apologised to Hope, the team and the management for his behaviour.
"I recognize that my passion got the best of me," he said. "I have personally apologized to Captain Shai Hope, my teammates and management. I also extend my sincerest apologies to the West Indies fans—I understand that even a brief lapse in judgment can have a far-reaching impact, and I deeply regret any disappointment caused."
The ban means Joseph will miss the first two matches of the upcoming T20I series against England, starting Saturday (November 9).
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