Pakistan’s Asif Ali and Fareed Ahmad of Afghanistan have been fined 25 per cent of their match fees for a heated exchange in their thrilling Asia Cup match in Sharjah.
The Afghans suffered a heartbreaking one-wicket loss to Pakistan on Wednesday to crash out of the Twenty20 tournament along with heavyweights India. The incident occurred in the 19th over of Pakistan’s innings.
Tempers flared when fast bowler Fareed dismissed Asif and “made inappropriate physical contact” with the batsman, who “reacted with an aggressive gesture of the bat”, the International Cricket Council said.
Asif breached Article 2.6 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. which relates to “using a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an International Match” while Fareed found to have breached Article 2.1.12. which relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator) during an International Match.”
The ICC added that both the players admitted their offense and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft.
One demerit point each added to the disciplinary records of the players. Both of whom did not have any previous offense in a 24-month period. Pakistan face Sri Lanka in Sunday’s final in Dubai.
Senior players reaction on this violence
Trouble started when Afghanistan pace bowler Fareed Ahmad had a heated exchange with Pakistan’s Asif Ali after giving the batsman a send-off following his dismissal.
An angry Asif gestured in the direction of Fareed with his bat before players intervened along with the umpire to defuse the tension.
The rising tempers shifted from the field to the stands with videos circulating of Afghanistan fans ripping off seats and throwing them at fans in Pakistan shirts.
Moreover, Former Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar tagged a video and tweeted: “This is what Afghan fans are doing. This is what they’ve done in the past multiple times.
“This is a game and it supposed to played in the right spirit. ShafiqStanikzai your crowd & your players both need to learn a few things if you guys want to grow in the sport.”
