Kohli fined for Konstas incident

Virat Kohli has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct on the first day of the fourth Test against Australia in Melbourne on Thursday.

Kohli was found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match.”

In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Kohli’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.

The incident occurred at the end of the 10th over of Australia’s innings, when Kohli walked up to batter Sam Konstas and negligently bumped his shoulder with the batter inappropriately.

Kohli admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Shawn Craig levelled the charge.

Level 1 breaches carry 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.