The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reprimanded India pacer Harshit Rana for an incident during his side's victory over South Africa in the first ODI in Ranchi on Sunday (November 30).

Harshit was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”

The incident unfolded in the 22nd over of South Africa’s innings when Harshit was found to have gestured in the direction of the dressing room when he dismissed Proteas batter Dewald Brevis.

“The action was deemed that it could have provoked an aggressive response from the batter, with Harshit receiving one demerit point added to his disciplinary record,” ICC said in a release.

It was Harshit's first offence in the last 24 months and the right-armer admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees.

Having won the Ranchi ODI by 17 runs, the Men in Blue took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second ODI will take place in Raipur on Wednesday (December 3).

(With ICC Inputs)