Pakistan pacers Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad have been penalised by the ICC for breaching the Code of Conduct during the opening Test against the West Indies at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba. Both players were found guilty of breaching Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”
Khurram was handed a fine of 15 per cent of his match fee while Abbas was given an official reprimand. Both players also copped one demerit point each. According to ICC, the formal hearing was not required as both accepted the sanctions proposed by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees.
The ICC also noted that this was the first offence for both players in the past 24 months. Talking about the match, West Indies had claimed a thumping 90-run win over Pakistan, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Pakistan, in a chase of 211 runs, were bowled out for 120, with only Babar Azam top-scoring with an unbeaten 58-run knock.