The ICC has fined Pakistan seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi and batters Saud Shakeel and Kamran Ghulam for breaching the code of conduct during the recently concluded South Africa tie in Karachi on Wednesday (Feb 12). While Shaheen was fined 25 per cent of his match fees for breaching Article 2.12 of the ICC code of conduct, Kamran and Saud were slapped with 10% of their match fees for breaching Article 2.5 (of the code).

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All three were involved in separate instances during the high-octane game against South Africa, which Pakistan won by six wickets, completing their highest-successful ODI run chase. 

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While the apex body found Shaheen guilty of obstructing Matthew Breetzke as he completed a single during the 28th over of the first innings, the two remaining batters were fined for aggressively celebrating Temba Bavuma’s wicket.

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The first instance occurred during the 28th over of South Africa’s innings when Afridi deliberately obstructed Breetzke’s path as he completed his run; that happened right after both got involved in a verbal argument.

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The second instance unfolded in the next over, when Shakeel accounted for Bavuma’s dismissal (run out via direct throw), and Ghulam celebrated aggressively and too close to Bavuma, breaching ICC’s code of conduct.

Besides facing fines for their respective actions, all three players have received one demerit point each to their disciplinary records, though none had received any in the past 24 months. 

Meanwhile, all players have accepted the punishments, as no formal hearings regarding this instance will take place. 

Pakistan complete historic chase to reach final

Hosting a tri-series for the first time in several years, Pakistan lost the tournament opener to New Zealand by 78 runs but returned stronger by beating South Africa in the do-or-die match in Karachi. Bowling first after losing the toss, Pakistan conceded a mammoth 352 for five in the first innings, with Bavuma (82), Breetzke (82) and Heinrich Klaasen (87) being their top scorers.

Chasing 353, Pakistan lost Babar Azam (23) inside the Powerplay before Shakeel departed inside the 10th over. Six balls later, dangerous opener Fakhar Zaman returned to the pavilion with Pakistan’s scorecard reading 91 for three.

Skipper and gloveman Mohammad Rizwan, alongside all-rounder Salman Agha, put Pakistan back on the track and soon after put them in the driver’s seat, completing respective hundreds. While Rizwan remained unbeaten on 122, Agha got out on 134 before Tayyab Tahir hit the winning run to seal the win for his team. 

Pakistan will play New Zealand in the tri-series final on Friday (Feb 14) in Karachi. 

(With inputs from agencies)