Pakistan duo penalized for breaching ICC Code of Conduct

Pakistan players Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Abbas have been charged for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first match of their ICC World Test Championship series against the West Indies in Tarouba.

Khurram was fined 15 per cent of his match fee while Abbas was handed an official reprimand for 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 penalized for “celebrating aggressively close” after bowling Shai Hope in the West Indies' second innings on Day 3. The seamer's actions were deemed “capable of provoking an aggressive reaction."

Meanwhile, Abbas was penalised for celebrating in an animated manner after dismissing batter Jomel Warrican in the morning session on Day 4, the final wicket of the innings.

One demerit point each has also been added to the disciplinary records of the players, both of whom had a clean record in the previous 24 months.

Both players admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for formal hearings.

On-field umpires Alex Wharf and Richard Kettleborough and third umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal levelled the charges.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.