Rabada’s appeal to revoke two-Test ban to be heard on March 19

Dubai [UAE]: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada’s appeal to revoke his two-match Test suspension will be heard on March 19.

Michael Heron QC of New Zealand has been appointed as the Judicial Commissioner for the hearing, which will be held via videoconference. Heron will then have 48 hours to arrive at a decision.

Earlier, Rabada was suspended for South Africa’s remaining two Tests of the four-match series against Australia after being found guilty of a Level 2 ICC Code of Conduct offence of ‘inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a player’.

The incident happened in the 52nd over of Australia’s first innings of the second Test, when moving towards the slips, Rabada made physical contact with Steve Smith, with his shoulder.

He has received a fine of 50 percent of his match fee and three demerit points after a disciplinary hearing following his denial of the charge.

The conduct breach took Rabada’s demerit points to the threshold of eight points leading to the suspension. He was subsequently handed another demerit point for a send-off given to David Warner in Australia’s second innings, taking his total demerit points to nine.(ANI)