An international cricketer has been banned because a social media post of his was considered anti-umpires. It also had a little hint of violence against the field custodians of the game.
One man’s agony is another man’s delight. Readers may find what the cricketer in question wrote extremely hilarious.
“If any player beats an umpire mistakenly, how many matches would he be banned for? Just for query?”
This is what Nepal’s Karan KC wrote. He is no ordinary player and he recently featured in the T20 World Cup that was held in India and Sri Lanka. He was there out in the middle when Nepal almost stunned two-time champions England in one of their group matches.
The 34-year-old fast-bowling allrounder has played 65 ODIs and 88 T20Is. He was also part of the Nepalese team that beat Test-nation West Indies in a three-T20I series in Sharjah last year in what was a historic feat. So, he is not a run-of-the-mill cricketer!
Reacting to his words, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has now banned him for one match. He was also fined 100 per cent of his match fee.
“In a statement on Sunday, CAN said the comment made by the Nepal Police Club player during the ongoing Prime Minister Cup one-day tournament did not align with the spirit of the game. The decision was taken in coordination with relevant stakeholders, said CAN spokesperson Chhumbi Lama,” the Kathmandu Post reported on Sunday.
Umpires up in arms!
It’s clear something happened during the match that didn’t sit well with Karan KC. He may have been trying to be funny. Words don’t exactly give away one’s intentions. His post created quite a ruckus in Nepalese cricket, however, with umpires losing their cool.
Even if they didn’t fear the worst, like some player deciding to take matters into their own hands, they clearly didn’t like the fact that they were being made fun of and belittled.
Many in the Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association of Nepal asked the CAN to take strict action so that the integrity of the umpires as well as the game can be restored. Besides, it will serve as an example to other cricketers that they can’t cross the line with impunity. That they are being watched.
“The controversy follows growing dissatisfaction among players over umpiring decisions in domestic competitions, including a recent on-field dispute involving Sandeep Lamichhane during a PM Cup match,” the Kathmandu Post added.
