Kingstown, June 26 (IANS): Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has been handed an official reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the Code of Conduct during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight stage Group 1 match against Bangladesh. Ahead of the first semifinal match of the T20 World Cup against South Africa, Rashid Khan has been pulled up for abuse of cricket equipment during the match.

Rashid was found to have breached Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment) at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an international match, the International Cricket Council (ICC) informed in a release on Wednesday.

In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Rashid’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period, the release added.

The incident occurred in the last over of Afghanistan’s innings when Rashid threw his bat on the ground after his batting partner Karim Janat refused a second run on a shot played by Rashid.

Rashid admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Nitin Menon and Langton Rusere, third umpire Adrian Holdstock and fourth umpire Ahsan Raza levelled the charge.

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.

With Rashid Khan claiming a four-fer, Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by eight runs via DLS Method in a rain-marred thriller and reached the semifinal, their first entry to the last-four stage in an ICC event at the senior level.

They will next take on South Africa in the first semifinal on June 27 (as per IST).