World Cup 2019: Virat Kohli could face ban ahead of semi-final for excessive appealing

Image Credits: Twitter/@BCCI

Though India have booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup, the Men in Blue can end up losing their star captain Virat Kohli just ahead of the knockout stage due to excessive appealing and arguing with the umpire. 

India stormed into the last-four of the ongoing marquee event with a narrow 28-run win over Bangladesh in their second last fixture of the group stage at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on Tuesday. 

During the crucial clash against the Mashrafe Mortaza-led side, Indian fast bowler Mohammad Shami made a leg before wicket appeal against Soumya Sarkar after the Bangladesh batsman was hit on the pads in the 11th over. However, on-field umpire Marais Erasmus turned down the appeal and declared Sarkar not-out.

The decision didn't go well with Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who opted for the Decision Review System (DRS). The DRS showed the ball had struck the Bangladesh batsman’s bat and pad simultaneously and as a result, third umpire Aleem Dar also decided to stay with the decision.

Subsequently,  Kohli was then seen having a long discussion with the on-field umpire. 

Earlier in June, Kohli was fined 25 percent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct by engaging in excessive appealing during the ICC Cricket World Cup match against Afghanistan at Southampton.

Kohli was found to have breached Article 2.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “Excessive appealing during an International Match”.

In the 29th over of the Afghanistan innings, Kohli had advanced towards umpire Aleem Dar in an aggressive manner when appealing an lbw decision. Later, the Indian skipper admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees.

In addition to this, one demerit point was also added to the disciplinary record of Kohli, for whom it was the second offence since the introduction of the revised Code in September 2016.

In addition to this, one demerit point was also added to the disciplinary record of Kohli, for whom it was the second offence since the introduction of the revised Code in September 2016.

 Kohli, who got one demerit point during a Test against South Africa in January 2018, is now just two points short of a two-match ODI-match ban.

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.

Though Kohli is unlikely to get any punishment for his argument during Bangladesh's innings, India could end up costing their captain if the 30-year-old batsman does something similar during his side's last group stage match against Sri Lanka on Saturday at the Headingley in Leeds.