Melbourne, 26 December
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday fined Indian batsman Virat Kohli 20 per cent of his match fee for clashing with host opener Sam Konstas on the first day of the fourth Test against Australia here. And demerit points have also been added to his account.
The incident took place in the 10th over of the Test match being played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when Kohli and Konstas hit each other on the shoulder, after which a minor argument took place between the two. However, later Kotstas, whose first Test match, termed it as an untimely incident.
“Section 2.12 of the ICC Code deals with inappropriate physical contact with a player, player’s support staff, umpire, match referee or any other person (including a spectator during an international match),” the ICC said in a statement on its website. “There was no need for a formal hearing as Kohli accepted the punishment imposed by match referee Andy Pycroft,” it said. These allegations were made by field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfaudullah Ibne, Shahid and fourth umpire Shaun Craig.
Konstas, however, played down the incident and said after the first day’s play, “Virat Kohli bumped into me by mistake. This is cricket and it happens in stressful times.” News-Patiala