The already beleaguered Australia pair of Steven Smith and David Warner, the country’s captain and vice-captain until the recent ball-tampering saga unfolded, have been banned from participating in IPL 2018 with immediate effect, BCCI confirmed through a media release, on Wednesday (March 28).
The decision was made by the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, in consultation with the BCCI Acting President CK Khanna, IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla and BCCI Acting Hon. Secretary Amitabh Choudhary. While the latest decision leaves a huge vacuum in both the Royals and Sunrisers camp, the Indian cricket board has allowed the franchises, replacements for the duo.
“The BCCI hopes that the cricketers participating in the IPL hold the highest regard for the Spirit of Cricket and Code of Conduct for Players and Match Officials,” the release read further.
Both players, captains of their respective franchises, had already stepped downfrom their positions as leaders of the side. Both Smith and Warner were on contracts of 12.5 crore INR – the highest paid Australian players in the tournament.
The fall-out from Smith’s astounding ball tampering confessions midway through Australia’s third Test against South Africa has snowballed rapidly. The barring from the IPL now has come on the back of reports that both Smith and Warner have been handed one-year bans from Cricket Australia, an official announcement of which is expected at 12.30 PM Johannesburg time, i.e 4 PM IST.
