Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan batter Asif Ali and Afghanistan bowler Fareed Ahmad FINED for breaking ICC code after HUGE fight

Both Asif Ali and Fareed Ahmad admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for formal hearings.

Photo: IANS

Pakistan batter Asif Ali and Afghanistan fast bowler Fareed Ahmad have both been fined 25 per cent of their match fees for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the Asia Cup 2022 match in Sharjah on Wednesday (September 7). Asif was found to have 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” while 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.”

In addition to this, one demerit point each has been added to the disciplinary records of the players, both of whom did not have any previous offence in a 24-month period. The incident occurred in the 19th over of Pakistan’s innings, when Fareed came up and made inappropriate physical contact with Asif after dismissing him and the batter reacted with an aggressive gesture of the bat.

Both players admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for formal hearings. On-field umpires Anil Chaudhary and Jayaraman Madangopal, third umpire Gazi Sohel and fourth umpire Raveendra Wimalasari levelled the charges.

Fareed Ahmed and Asif ali fight #AsiaCup2022 #Afghanistan #PAKvAFG #Fights #asifali #fareed pic.twitter.com/zYYR1Vub0X

— Manas Kumar Gaur (@ManasGaur108) September 7, 2022

Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja said that he would send a letter to ICC complaining about the fight that took place between Pakistan and Afghanistan fans in Sharjah after the explosive contest on Wednesday.

“You don’t identify hooliganism with cricket. You don’t want such an atmosphere inside the cricket stadium. PCB will write a letter to ICC and raise the issue because the visuals were not nice. They were terrible. This has not happened for the first time. It was a good contest. Players need to keep a check on their emotions. That is why we will bring this issue to ICC’s notice and raise our concern,” said Raja while addressing a press conference on Thursday.

He added that the incident is very big and even the players could have been hurt if the matter was not taken care of instantly. He said, “Kuch bhi ho sakta tha, hamari team khatre mein ho sakti thi (Anything could have happened, our team could have been in danger).”