ENG vs IND: Gurnoor Brar penalized by ICC after Ben Duckett spits in 1st ODI

India fast bowler Gurnoor Brar has received an official warning from the ICC after being found guilty of a Level 1 Code of Conduct breach during the opening ODI against England in Birmingham. The incident falls under Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which covers incidents of inappropriate or dangerous throwing of the ball at or near a player during an international match.

Along with the warning, Brar was also given one demerit point, the first on his disciplinary record in 24 months. The offense occurred in the eighth over of the English innings. After picking up the ball during play, Brar threw it towards the striker in a manner deemed inappropriate and potentially dangerous by the referees.

The England opener smirked at the Indian pacer and then hit him for a six, which was appreciated by the crowd. However, in the 13th over, Brar had the last laugh when he dismissed Duckett to send him back to the pavilion for 43.

A heated exchange of moments between Ben Duckett and Gurnoor Brar

7.5 Duckett Defending the ball while standing inside the line but Gurnoor throws it to Duckett unnecessarily

7.6 Duckett responded with a huge 6

Perfect wild moment for Duckett #ENGvIND #Benduckett

Willow Sports pic.twitter.com/huONKUf5L3— Subrajit Pradhan (@Subrajit_tulu) July 14, 2026

Brar accepted responsibility for the incident and agreed to the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson, a member of the Emirates ICC’s elite panel of match referees. Since he admitted to wrongdoing, the matter was resolved without the need for a formal disciplinary hearing.

The charges were brought by on-field umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Mike Burns, supported by third umpire Sam Nogajski and fourth umpire Russell Warren. Under the ICC’s disciplinary regulations, a Level 1 offense can result in anything from an official warning to a fine of up to 50 percent of the player’s match fee, along with the addition of one or two demerit points.

Despite the disciplinary action, Brar enjoyed a productive game with the ball and claimed two wickets India beat England by six wickets they took a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.

– The end

Published on:

16 Jul 2026 16:01 IST