Bangladesh players Nahida Akter and Sarmin Sultana have been sanctioned for separate breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second ODI of the ICC Women’s Championship series against Sri Lanka, with both receiving fines and demerit points following incidents in Rajshahi.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Friday that the duo had each been fined 10% of their match fee after being found guilty of Level 1 offences during Bangladesh’s defeat to Sri Lanka. In addition to the monetary penalty, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary records of both players. It is the first offence for each player within a 24-month period.
The charges stemmed from separate moments during a tense contest that saw Sri Lanka bounce back strongly to level the three-match series at 1-1. Nahida Akter was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”
The Bangladesh left-arm spinner was penalised after dismissing Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu in the 17th over of the innings. Following the wicket, Nahida gave the Sri Lankan skipper a send-off by pointing toward the pavilion, an action deemed contrary to the spirit of the game.
Sarmin Sultana, meanwhile, was found guilty of breaching Article 2.8, which relates to “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.” The batter’s offence occurred in the 16th over of Bangladesh’s chase when she was adjudged lbw. According to the ICC statement, Sarmin responded by pointing toward her bat, expressing visible disappointment and delaying her departure from the crease.
Both incidents were reported by the match officials, with on-field umpires Eloise Sheridan and Rokeya Sultana, third umpire Dolly Rani Sarkar, and fourth umpire Shathira Jakir Jesy laying the charges.
Nahida and Sarmin subsequently admitted their respective offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Supriya Rani Das of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees, meaning no formal hearing was required. Under ICC regulations, Level 1 breaches are considered the least serious category of offence but can still carry significant penalties. The minimum punishment is an official reprimand, while the maximum sanction can be 50% of a player’s match fee, along with one or two demerit points.
The disciplinary news came after an eventful second ODI in which Sri Lanka responded impressively after losing the opening game of the series. Their victory ensured the three-match contest remains alive heading into the deciding fixture, with both sides still chasing valuable points in the ICC Women’s Championship.
As the focus shifts to the series decider, Nahida remains one of the side’s key bowling weapons, while Sarmin’s middle-order role is also important as Bangladesh seek a strong finish to the tour. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will take confidence from their comeback win and the form of captain Athapaththu, despite her dismissal in the controversy involving Nahida. With the series now finely poised, attention will turn from disciplinary matters back to the field, where both teams have plenty to play for in a high-stakes final ODI.
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