Costly first wicket: Hardik Pandya reprimanded for excessive celebration during Adelaide T20I

Melbourne: India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been reprimanded by the ICC for celebrating aggressively after taking a wicket during the first Twenty20 International against Australia in Adelaide. The incident happened in the 16th over of Australia’s innings when Pandya, after dismissing Chris Lynn, celebrated excessively in close proximity to the dismissed batsman, which could have provoked an aggressive reaction. This incidentally was Pandya’s first ever wicket in India colours in his debut match. [caption id=“attachment_2586044” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Hardik Pandya. BCCI[/caption] Following the match, which India won by 37 runs, Pandya admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Jeff Crowe of the Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees. As such, there was no need for a formal hearing. The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Simon Fry and John Ward, third umpire Paul Wilson and fourth official Gerard Abood. Pandya was found to have breached Article 2.1.7 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 batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match”. For all first offences, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee. PTI