Pakistan's Asif Ali and Afghanistan bowler Fareed Ahmed were fined 25 per cent of their match fees for their on-field altercation during their Asia Cup Super 4 match in Dubai on Thursday. The duo were found
guilty of breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the clash between Pakistan and Afghanistan which took place on Wednesday and have been punished accordingly.
The duo were involved in an altercation after the fifth delivery of the 19th over.
According to the ICC statement, Ali 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". Fareed was 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 players admitted their offence and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft.
In what was a close encounter which Afghanistan had in their grasp, Ali was smashing the ball, reaching a score of 16 runs off eight deliveries. This allowed the game to slip away from Afghanistan's hands as tempers soon flared between the bowler and the batter.
Ahmad bowled a slower bouncer that deceived Ali, with Karim Janat taking the catch at short fine leg. The incident then took place when Ahmad was celebrating the wicket while Ali was walking off to the pavilion.
Pakistan eventually ended up winning the contest, with Naseem Shah emerging as the unlikely hero with the bat.
Needing 11 off the final over and with only one wicket in hand, Naseem hit two massive sixes off the first two deliveries against Fazhalhaq Farooqi as Pakistan won the match with four deliveries remaining.
The result meant that Pakistan and Sri Lanka qualified for the final of the Asia Cup, with India and Afghanistan getting knocked out of the Super Four stage.
