UAE pacer Junaid Siddique found guilty of breaching ICC Code of Conduct

New Delhi [India], August 22 (ANI): UAE’s pacer Junaid Siddique has been found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in their third T20I match against New Zealand in Dubai which was played on Sunday.

Siddique was found guilty of breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct twice. He has been fined 25 per cent fine to his match fees along with two demerit points, which have been added to his disciplinary record.

In the first instance, Siddique flouted article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “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,” as quoted by ICC.

This incident occurred in the fifth over of the New Zealand innings when Siddique moved close to the dismissed batter, Tim Seifert, and shouted aggressively at him.

For this, Siddique was handed an official reprimand and one demerit point was added to his disciplinary record.

In the second instance, he was found in violation of article 2.8 of the Code, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision.”

This incident took place in the 17th over of the New Zealand innings when Siddique showed dissent by using inappropriate language towards the umpire after an appeal was turned down.

For this, he was fined 25 per cent of his match fee and one more demerit point was added to his disciplinary record.

The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Akbar Ali and Shiju Sam, along with third umpire Aasif Iqbal.

There was no need for a formal hearing after Siddique admitted to the offence and accepted the sanctions proposed by ICC match referee Andy Pycroft. 

With no prior offences in the preceding 24-month period, Siddique now has two demerit points on his record.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Siddique (3/26) starred with the ball in the third T20I, but New Zealand prevailed at the back of enterprising fifties from Will Young (56) and Mark Chapman (51). The tourists won the game by 32 runs, and thus secured a 2-1 win in the series.