Kranti Gaud Fined for Disciplinary Breach in T20 Asia Cup Final

India quick Kranti Gaud has been hit with a 10 per cent fine on her match fee after a fiery send-off in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday, a flashpoint that underlined the intensity of a high-stakes contest.

Gaud was found guilty of breaching Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct, a Level 1 offence covering “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.” She also received one demerit point, the first on her record in the current 24-month period.

The incident arrived almost immediately in Sri Lanka’s chase. Imesha Dulani, facing the very first ball, deftly lap-swept Gaud for four, a bold statement shot in a final. Gaud came back hard. Three balls later, Dulani tried to repeat the stroke and perished. The dismissal sparked an emotional reaction: a charged-up Gaud gestured towards the pavilion, a send-off that crossed the line in the eyes of the match officials.

Match referee Supriya Rani Das proposed the sanction, and Gaud accepted the charge on the spot, which meant no formal hearing was required.

Pakistan penalised for slow over-rate

The final was not the only match to draw disciplinary attention during the business end of the tournament.

Pakistan were fined five per cent of their match fees for a slow over-rate in their semi-final against Sri Lanka. Defending 130, Pakistan stretched the innings out to 18.4 overs before Sri Lanka completed a successful chase of 131, but time calculations showed Pakistan finished one over short of the required rate once allowances were factored in.

Captain Fatima Sana accepted the penalty after fourth umpire Rabab Ahsan laid the charge, closing a tense semi-final with an administrative sting that will linger as teams weigh discipline and tempo against the pressure of knockout cricket.