Harmanpreet Kaur's Outburst Puts India's Asian Games Campaign at Risk

In a disappointing turn of events, India's cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur's outburst during the third ODI against Bangladesh has landed her in hot water with the International Cricket Council (ICC). Her conduct on the field, followed by critical remarks in the post-match presentation, could result in strict action from the ICC, including a possible ban for at least two international matches.

The incident occurred during India's chase in the third ODI, where Harmanpreet was visibly furious at umpire Tanvir Ahmed's decision on her dismissal. Her reaction saw her smashing the stumps with her bat and engaging in a heated exchange with the umpire while making her way to the dugout. To add to the controversy, she openly questioned the standard of umpiring in the match, labeling it as "pathetic."

According to reports on Cricbuzz, Harmanpreet's actions could lead to a maximum of four demerit points, consisting of three points for damaging equipment and one for publicly criticizing a match official. Accumulating four or more demerit points in a span of 24 months would result in suspension from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, depending on the schedule.

The timing of the potential ban could prove detrimental to India's campaign at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, scheduled from September 23 to October 8. With India already securing a spot in the quarters based on their ODI ranking, a two-match ban for Harmanpreet could jeopardize the team's chances as she might miss crucial knockout matches and only feature in the final, provided India reaches the gold-medal clash.

Although the ICC is yet to officially announce the sanctions, it could be the second time in her career that Harmanpreet receives a demerit point. Previously, she lost her cool against teammate Deepti Sharma during the 2017 ODI World Cup match against Australia and was found guilty of a Level 1 offense. Another Indian player who has faced code of conduct breaches twice is Veda Krishnamurthy.

As fans and cricket enthusiasts await the ICC's decision, there's a sense of disappointment and concern over the potential impact of Harmanpreet's actions on India's crucial Asian Games campaign.