World Cup 2019: Virat Kohli fined for excessive appealing during Afghanistan clash

India skipper Virat Kohli has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee for appealing in an aggressive manner during their tense World Cup win over Afghanistan, here Saturday. “Kohli was found to have breached Article 2.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "Excessive appealing during an International Match”, an ICC release said. Saturday's incident occurred in the 29th over of the Afghanistan innings, when Kohli advanced towards umpire Aleem Dar after pacer Jasprit Bumrah struck Rahmat Shah on his pads and appealed for an lbw decision. It was a breach of Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which carries a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player's match fee, and one or two demerit points. Kohli admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by the match referee Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, and as such, there was no need for a formal hearing. In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of Kohli, for whom it was the second offence since the introduction of the revised Code in September 2016. Kohli now has two demerit points after having got one demerit point during the Pretoria Test against South Africa on 15 January 2018. On-field umpires Aleem Dar and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Richard Kettleborough and fourth official Michael Gough levelled the charges. How the demerit points affect a player? When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player. Demerit points to remain on a Player or Player Support Personnel's disciplinary record for a period of 24 months from their imposition following which they will be expunged.