Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saud Shakeel, and Kamran Ghulam have each received fines and a demerit point for separate Level 1 breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct during Pakistan’s tri-series match against South Africa in Karachi on Wednesday.
Afridi was fined 25% of his match fee for breaching Article 2.12, which concerns “inappropriate physical contact” with another player. The incident occurred in the 28th over when Afridi stepped into the path of batter Matthew Breetzke as he attempted a run, resulting in physical contact and a heated exchange. Tensions had already risen when Afridi confronted Breetzke for a gesture made after defending a previous delivery.
Shakeel and Ghulam received 10% fines on their match fees for making gestures that could provoke an aggressive reaction, breaching Article 2.5. The pair celebrated Bavuma’s dismissal too closely after his run-out in the 29th over, which the ICC deemed provocative.
None of the three players had prior demerit points, and all accepted the sanctions without contest, meaning formal hearings were unnecessary.
Despite the on-field controversies, Pakistan delivered a memorable performance, successfully chasing down South Africa’s total of 352 for 5 with one over to spare. It marked their first successful chase of a 350-plus target in ODIs and secured their place in the tri-series final against New Zealand. The focus now shifts to the upcoming Champions Trophy, where Pakistan will aim to carry forward this momentum.
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