How do demerit points build up into a suspension?

Every sanction carries demerit points (see the sanctions table). They stay on the player's record for 24 months and are then wiped. The ICC Cricket Operations Department keeps the record and adds each new total to any points from the previous 24 months.

When a player first crosses these totals, the demerit points convert into suspension points:

What a suspension point is worth:

• Test (or any international of four days or more): 2 suspension points
• ODI or T20I: 1 suspension point

So 2 suspension points is one Test, or two ODIs or T20Is. The suspension points are applied, in date order straight after the decision, to the internationals the player is most likely to play in, judged from the formats they've played over the previous two years (you can consult the ICC on this). If one of those matches is cancelled before its scheduled day, the points move to the next likely match.

Suspensions from accumulated demerit points take effect immediately once the player is notified. Over-rate offences carry no demerit points.

Example from the Code: a player gets 2 demerit points for a Level 1 offence, then 4 for a Level 2 offence within three months: 6 points in total, which converts to 2 suspension points (one Test, or two ODIs or T20Is).