Harbhajan banned for five ODIs

Mumbai, May 14 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India Wednesday banned Harbhajan Singh for five-one-dayers for slapping Santhakumaran Sreesanth during an Indian Premier League match at Mohali.

Harbhajan, who has already been banned for the rest of the inaugural IPL season by the organisers, escaped a severe punishment after he admitted his guilt and gave an assurance that he would not repeat such acts of discipline.

The decision to ban Harbhajan was taken by the BCCI disciplanry commitee headed by its chief Sharad Pawar after the board-appointed inquiry commissioner Sudhir Nanavati submitted his report. Board's president-elect Shashank Manohar and vice-president Chirayu Amin are the other members of the disciplinary committee.

Harbhajan met the disciplinary committee and pleaded guilty of misdemeanour.

'The Committee has decided to ban Harbhajan Singh for five one-day internationals, starting May 14 and that any further instance of misconduct will invoke a life-ban,' BCCI the said.

Harbhajan thus will miss the tri-series in Bangladesh and also the first two games of the Asia Cup in Pakistan next month.

The committee invoked rule 3.2.1 of the BCCI regulations for Players, team officials, managers, Umpires and administrators. Under this provision, the maximum punishment that can be meted out to a player is a 'ban up to a maximum of five ODIs or three Test matches. '

Email this article to your friend -