Balaji fined 30 per cent of match fee

Lakshmipathy Balaji was found guilty of excessive appealing by ICC Match Referee Chris Broad in a hearing in Mohali at the conclusion of the match.

Medium pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji has been fined 30 per cent of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during India's first Test match against Pakistan in Mohali.

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Balaji was found guilty of excessive appealing by ICC Match Referee Chris Broad in a hearing in Mohali at the conclusion of the match on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Balaji, who took nine wickets in the drawn match, was found to have breached level 1.5 of the ICC Code which relates to excessive appealing.

"There is no place for this sort of appealing in international cricket. The player has apologised for his actions and I hope that will be the end of the matter," Broad said in an ICC media release.

All Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player's match fee.

The charge was brought by umpires Darrell Hair, Rudi Koertzen and TV umpire K Hariharan.

Broad reached his conclusion after a hearing attended by Balaji, India team coach John Wright, Hair, Koertzen and Hariharan.

For Level 1 and Level 2 breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct the ICC Match Referee's decision is final and binding.