Harmanpreet Kaur on Bangladesh outburst: “I don't think I said anything wrong to any player or any person”
India women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur has said that she has no regrets over her actions in the third ODI of the series against Bangladesh last month for which she was slapped with a two-game ban. The cricketer opined that she has a right to express herself and added that she did not say anything wrong to any player.
A massive controversy erupted in the third India-Bangladesh ODI last month. The Indian captain smashed the stumps to express disapproval over the umpire’s decision to give her out.
She also hit out at the umpiring in the series at the post-match presentation, terming it pathetic. At the joint photo session, she hinted that the umpires had a role to play in Bangladesh’s win, forcing the hosts to boycott the photo shoot.
Speaking to The Cricket Paper on the sidelines of the Women's Hundred, where she's representing Trent Rockets, Harmanpreet was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo:
"I will not say that I regret anything because at the end of the day as a player you want to see that fair things are happening. As a player you always have the right to express yourself and what you're feeling."
"I don't think I said anything wrong to any player or any person. I just said what happened on the field. I don't regret anything," the 34-year-old added.
Following the controversy in Bangladesh, the ICC suspended Harmanpreet for two international games over two separate breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct.
For hitting the stumps in anger following her dismissal, the cricketer was fined 50 percent of her match fee for the Level 2 offence and received three demerit points on her disciplinary record.
She was also found guilty of breaching Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision”.
Harmanpreet was also fined 25 percent of her match fee for a Level 1 offence relating to "public criticism in relation to an incident occurring in an international match" for criticising the umpiring in the match. She received one demerit point on her disciplinary record for the offence.
Harmanpreet to miss India’s first two Asian Games games
Harmanpreet has been named captain of the women's cricket team that will feature in the Asian Games in Hangzhou from September 19 to October 8. However, the right-handed batter will miss India’s first two games of the tournament due to her suspension.
Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana is all set to lead the Indian team in their first two Asian Games matches in their captain's forced absence.