Harmanpreet Kaur recently found herself in a soup, as she faced suspension from the ICC for her fiery outburst during the final Women's ODI between Bangladesh and India in Dhaka earlier this month.
The match itself will be remembered for its thrilling climax, as it culminated in a dramatic tie. However, it was Kaur's fervent reaction to her own dismissal that truly caught the attention on social media and elsewhere.
The moment she was given out, she vented her frustration by smashing the stumps with her bat – an action that would have far-reaching consequences. Kaur wasn’t done there, though.
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Subsequently, her dissatisfaction with the umpiring took center stage as she labelled it “pathetic” during the post-match presentation and went on to mock the umpires during the team photographs.
It was an outburst that led to her being slapped with a two-match suspension by the ICC for violating the code of conduct.
What did Harmanpreet Kaur say?
In an interview in England during The Hundred Women’s competition, Harmanpreet Kaur stood her ground, unapologetic in her stance.
“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,” she asserted while speaking to The Cricket Paper.
Kaur's passion for the game and her team's success is evident, but so is her uncompromising attitude towards what she believes is fair play. Her actions in Dhaka were not without consequences; she received a Level 1 penalty, a fine equivalent to 25% of her match fee.
The skipper also received a demerit point for criticising the match officials publically post the match.
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Harmanpreet Kaur's displeasure with the umpiring extended beyond words. Her bat smashed the stumps in a burst of emotion, reflecting her frustration at her dismissal. Additionally, her offhand remark during the end-of-series photographs, “bring the umpires too,” was a pointed reminder of her discontent.
"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.”
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) August 20, 2023
~ Harmanpreet Kaur
pic.twitter.com/q1ODKidIQB
While the outburst might have sparked controversy, it also highlighted the intricacies of the player-referee relationship and the level of scrutiny placed upon every move a cricketer makes.
The Bangladesh team walked out of the photo session post Harmanpreet’s rude remark and the Indian skipper received backlash on social media for her actions, but she remains firm in her stance from the recent comments.
As a consequence of her suspension, Kaur will be absent from the first two matches of India's campaign in the Asian Games T20 competition scheduled for September-October in Hangzhou.
Her comments could lead to further consequences given that she had pleaded guilty for the very same offense she claims she isn’t regretting.
