Twitter Explodes As Steve Smith and David Warner banned for 12 months by Cricket Australia

Steve Smith, David Warner have been banned for a period of 12 months by Cricket Australia after being found guilty of breaching code of conduct.

After investigation into the ball-tampering incident, Cricket Australia announced on Wednesday that Steve Smith and David Warner have been banned for a period of 12 months while Cameron Bancroft has been banned for nine months. Smith and Warner have also been banned from captaining Australia for a period of two years.

The decision was taken by the cricket federation after the three were found to have breached Article 2.3.5 of the Code of Conduct, which relates to conduct at any time that is contrary to the spirit of the game, unbecoming of a representative, harmful to the interests of the game, or bringing the game into disrepute.

Smith and Warner will be back in time for the ICC World Cup in England and then the Ashes. Bancroft, meanwhile, returns in time for summer with India to tour Australia at the time. As per the punishment handed out, the players have been banned from all elite Australian cricket, although they can play grade cricket.

Additionally, Smith and Warner have also stepped down as captains of Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively for the 2018 IPL season.

Here is how the world of cricket reacted to Smith and Warner being banned for 12 months:

WHAT THE …….. HAVE I JUST WOKEN UP TO. Please tell me this is a bad dream.

— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) March 24, 2018

Whoa…12 months ban for both Smith and Warner. Don’t see either of them playing in the IPL too. #SandpaperGate

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 28, 2018

I honestly do not believe any other country would have handed its captain and lead player a 12 month ban for attempted ball-tampering

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 28, 2018