Pakistan’s prominent cricketer Khushdil Shah has been significantly fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and has received three demerit points. Here’s a detailed explanation of the incident.

International Cricket Council (ICC) Issues Significant Penalty to Pakistan’s Khushdil Shah, Assigns Three Demerit Points

In a notable development during the first T20I clash between New Zealand and Pakistan in Christchurch, Pakistan’s all-rounder Khushdil Shah has been penalized with a hefty fine amounting to 50% of his match fee for infringing Level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct. The ICC confirmed the breach in a recent statement, specifying that Khushdil violated Article 2.12 of the Code, which pertains to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee, or any other individual (including a spectator during an International Match).”

As a result of this breach, three demerit points have been attributed to Khushdil’s disciplinary record. This incident marks his first violation within a 24-month timeframe. The controversial incident transpired in the eighth over of Pakistan’s innings, where Khushdil, while attempting a run, made inappropriate physical contact with bowler Zakary Foulkes. The ICC characterized the contact as executed with significant force, categorizing it as reckless, negligent, and unnecessary.

Khushdil admitted to the misconduct and accepted the disciplinary measures recommended by Jeff Crowe, a member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, thereby negating the requirement for a formal hearing. The charge was levied by on-field umpires Wayne Knights and Sam Nogajski, along with third umpire Kim Cotton and fourth umpire Chris Brown.

For clarity, Level 2 breaches under the ICC Code involve penalties of 50 to 100 percent of a player’s match fee or can translate into up to two Suspension Points.

Pakistan, under the new T20I captaincy of Salman Agha, faced a difficult start to the series, succumbing to the hosts by nine wickets after being dismissed for a mere 91 runs. New Zealand efficiently achieved the target within 10.1 overs, owing to contributions from Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, who scored 44 and 29 not out, respectively.

In light of the defeat, Salman remarked on the performance, acknowledging that his team fell short of expectations and anticipating a strategic regrouping prior to the second T20I scheduled in Dunedin on Tuesday. “It was a tough day; we didn’t perform as expected, but we must regroup before Dunedin. They executed their bowling plans effectively with some seam movement. We will review the game and prepare for the next encounter. With three debutants, there is a learning curve, and we aim to leverage our bowling strengths in New Zealand going forward,” expressed Salman post-match.

Please note, except for the headline, this report remains unchanged from its original publication by a syndicated feed from Indo-Asian News Service.

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