Bopara fined 75 percent match fee for ball tampering in BPL

Sylhet Sunrisers captain Ravi Bopara has been fined 75 percent of his match fee for ball tampering in the BPL match against Khulna Tigers on February 7, a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) media release said today. Three disciplinary points have been added to Bopara's disciplinary record.

The match referee Debabrata Paul initially handed a three-match suspension for Bopara but the final decision rested with the tournament technical committee chairman A.S.M. Roquibul Hassan. The technical committee decided to sanction penalties and hand a lighter sentence following an appeal by Bopara on Wednesday (February 8).

"The Technical Committee of Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League T20 2022 sanctioned the penalties following an appeal by Bopara against a three-match ban imposed by the Match Referee Debabrata Paul for the initial charge brought forward by the umpires for a Level 3 (2.14) offence which relates to 'Changing the condition of the ball' and is a breach of clause 41.3 of the BBPL Match Playing Conditions.

"Pursuant to Article 7.5 of the Code, if Bopara reaches four (04) or more demerit points in the tournament, that will be converted into match suspension. Four demerit points equate to a one-match ban," the BCB press release added.