BCCI president Sharad Pawar will discuss the report with president-elect Shashank Manohar and vice-president Chirayu Amin and take a decision. Pawar, Manohar and Amin are part of the three-member disciplinary committee formed to probe the report.
“It depends on their availability. And there is no timeframe set as of now,” the BCCI’s chief administrative officer Prof Ratnakar Shetty said.
Sources told The Indian Express that Nanavati has given the BCCI a detailed account of what transpired in the match in question after watching the uninterrupted footage provided by IPL broadcasters TWI. Nanavati has suggested that the board “should take serious view of the fact that Sreesanth was also involved in continuous provocation of the Mumbai Indians batsmen — Musavir Khote and Robin Uthappa”.
Nanavati has further mentioned in his report that he has spoken to field umpires who officiated in the match played on April 25 — Aleem Dar of Pakistan and Ameesh Saheba from Ahmedabad — who confirmed that they spoke to Kings XI captain Yuvraj Singh during the game, asking him to control Sreesanth’s antics. Nanavati has recommended to the board that, “While Harbhajan slapping Sreesanth does not come across as a result of any provocation and the spinner is guilty of misconduct, Sreesanth’s behaviour during the match should also be seriously viewed.”
Nanavati said today: “I have submitted my report to the BCCI and the ball is in their court. I still say that I was in shock after watching the video and why I was shocked, is in the report,” Nanavati said.
It is further learnt that since Harbhajan has already been held guilty under the Level 4 offence of the ICC’s Code of Conduct and the spinner didn’t appeal the IPL’s decision to ban him, the BCCI, as a part of their disciplinary ruling, is likely to impose only a mild punishment. The ban is expected to be anywhere between three to five one-dayers and an additional fine if the disciplinary committee finds it necessary.
This means Harbhajan is only likely to miss the tri-series in Bangladesh next month and, at the most, the first match of the Asia Cup in Pakistan. The board is also likely to reprimand Sreesanth, asking him to mend his on-field conduct.