Shafali Verma Reprimanded by ICC for Code of Conduct Breach in 2nd T20I Against Zimbabwe

India batter Shafali Verma has been handed an official reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second Women’s T20I against Zimbabwe at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.

Alongside the formal reprimand, one demerit point has been added to Verma’s disciplinary record. This marks her first offence within a rolling 24-month period.

What Happened

The incident occurred during the 12th over of Zimbabwe’s innings. Shafali Verma dropped a catch offered by batter Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano at mid-off off the bowling of off-spinner Sree Charani.

Immediately following the dropped chance, Verma threw the ball forcefully into the turf in visible frustration.

The match officials flagged the reaction under Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which governs the abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.

Charges and Sanction

• Charges Levelled By: On-field umpires Vrinda Rathi and Gayathri Venugopalan, third umpire Anna Harris, and fourth umpire Janani Narayanan.
• Sanction Proposed By: G.S. Lakshmi of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees.
• Outcome: Verma admitted the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, eliminating the need for a formal disciplinary hearing.

Under ICC regulations, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, up to a maximum fine of 50 percent of a player's match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Match Context: Dominant Series Win for India

Despite the brief moment of frustration in the field, Verma delivered an explosive performance with the bat later in the match:

• Zimbabwe’s Total: Restricted to 102/8 in their 20 overs following disciplined bowling by India’s attack.
• Shafali’s Counter-Attack: Verma bludgeoned a blistering 55 off just 25 deliveries, taking apart the Zimbabwean attack in the powerplay.
• The Result: India chased down the target in just the 9th over, winning by nine wickets to take an unassailable series lead in Raipur.

The third and final T20I of the series takes place on October 20 at the same venue.