Match referee Ranjan Madugalle ruled that Shakib had breached Article 2.9 of the ICC code of conduct, which relates to “throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment such as a water bottle) at or near a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other third person in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an International Match.”

Shakib admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Madugalle, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Kettleborough and Adrian Holdstock, third umpire Michael Gough and fourth umpire Rashid Riaz levelled the charges.

This was Shakib’s first demerit point in the last 24 months. If a player accumulates four or more demerit points in a 24-month period, they shall be converted to suspension points. Accumulation of suspension points will lead to the player’s suspension from international matches, with ODIs and T20Is carrying a weightage of one suspension point each, and Test matches carrying a weightage of two suspension points.