Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan and Afghanistan players fined for breaching ICC Code of Conduct
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has punished Pakistan's Asif Ali and Afghanistan's Fareed Ahmad following their altercation in Wednesday's Asia Cup match in Sharjah. The pair have copped 25 percent of their match fees as a fine for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.
The incident occurred in the second-last over when Ahmad dismissed Ali, who holed a slow bouncer to short fine leg fielder Karim Janat. It all went out of control as the bowler began celebrating the wicket as Ali walked back to the pavilion.
Lafda ho gya 🙀 https://t.co/AbTwcX5ObI
Ali breached Article 2.6 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, relating to 'using a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an international match.'
In contrast, Ahmad violated 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 players admitted their offense accepted the sanctions imposed by match referee Andy Pycroft.
Naseem Shah's twin sixes seals Pakistan's spot in the Asia Cup 2022 final
With Asif Ali's departure in the 19th over, Pakistan lost their ninth wicket and needed 11 runs in the next six deliveries. Right-arm speedster Naseem Shah finished the game off the first two deliveries of the final over, sending the two full tosses by Fazalhaq Farooqi over the fence.
The one-wicket win not only set up Pakistan's final clash with Sri Lanka on Sunday in Dubai, but also eliminated India from the competition. Following a thrilling finish, the 19-year-old said:
"When I came in to bat, I had the belief I could hit sixes. I practice this. I knew they would bowl yorkers. I just tried and I executed. I had spoken earlier itself that we need to have belief, we can hit. We train in the nets, so that belief was there. I felt my bat was not good, so I changed it."
🗣️ Belief in his batting ability and exchanging the bat with @MHasnainPak – @iNaseemShah reflects on his match-winning sixes ✨
#AsiaCup2022 | #AFGvPAK https://t.co/sxuxu1359u
Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have reached the finals of the Asia Cup for the first time since 2014. The 2014 final saw Sri Lanka emerge victorious by five wickets.