The two players brushed shoulders in the wake of the Australian captain's dismissal on day one of the second Test at St George's Park, and Rabada was subsequently hit with a level two charge that carried three demerit points.
Rabada won the man-of-the-match award as South Africa won the second Test in Port Elizabeth to level the four-match series at 1-1.
SECOND TEST 1. Kagiso Rabada found guilty of level-two offence, having made "inappropriate and deliberate physical contact" with Steve Smith during a send-off.
In the press conference after the second Test against Australia at Port Elizabeth, South African captain Faf du Plessis questioned why Rabada and Warner were booked by the ICC under the same level of offence when (according to the South African captain), Warner's move appeared to be more aggressive.
The 22-year-old Rabada, who took 11 wickets to help South Africa level the series 1-1, was fined 50 percent of his match fee and given three demerit points, which took him past the tally of eight that triggers an automatic suspension.
" It was a short flick of two players and you'd [hope to] get one or two demerit points as a slap on the wrist because it wasn't full-body contact".
Faf du Plessis has questioned global cricket's disciplinary approach, stunned that David Warner's staircase rampage and Kagiso Rabada's rowdy send-off could both be worth three demerit points.
"They should just let us play on, the cricket should be the main focus".
On day four Rabada blazed through Australia's tail to finish with six wickets to go with his five from the first dig and restricted the tourists to a lead of just 100, after they had resumed 41 ahead and five down.
Du Plessis argued Test cricket is becoming too sanitised.
In what may not be far off a global first in cricket, a splendidly-performing, officially-branded player of the match, young Proteas pace bowling dynamo Kagiso Rabada, has been yanked from the middle of the engrossing, knife-edge series against Australia. The four-match series is now level at 1-1. "To be honest, I just let it out", he added.
To put his incredible performance into perspective, Kagiso Rabada has achieved his fourth ten-wicket haul in only his 28th Test match. The ICC's two-match ban on the pacer for on-field indiscipline hasn't been a popular decision, especially in times of debate about five-day cricket's longevity and relevance. "I have to see it as a learning curve". They said I've been bowling the whole day and now I've come to bat.
"He's got to be smarter and he knows that", South Africa's de Villiers said of Rabada.
Whether caught behind or low or on three occasions even directly bowled, there can be no doubt that this is a direct strategy of Rabada himself, if not the entire team and management as well.
15 March 2018
15 March 2018
15 March 2018
10 November 2017
