HARARE: Afghan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib was fined 15% of his fees for showing dissent to an umpire’s decision during the second T20I against Zimbabwe on Friday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed.
Naib was found to have breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which refers to “demonstrating dissent in the decision of an umpire during an international match”.
The incident occurred in Zimbabwe’s 11th innings when an LBW appeal against captain Rashid Khan’s bowling Tashinga Musekiwa was rejected.
Frustrated, Naib demonstrated dissent by mockingly bowing in a gesture of prayer and asking for a review, despite the match not having a DRS system.
In addition to the financial penalty, a demerit point was added to Naib’s disciplinary record, marking his first offense in the last 24 months.
The former Afghanistan captain admitted the violation and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft, denying the need for a formal hearing.
It is pertinent to mention that Afghanistan clinched the three-match T20I series 2-1, winning the final game on Saturday by three wickets.
Chasing the target of 128, Afghanistan reached the total with three balls to spare, scoring 128/7 in 19.3 overs.
The series began with a victory for hosts Zimbabwe, who chased down Afghanistan’s target of 145 runs in 20 overs with four wickets in hand.
However, Afghanistan bounced back emphatically in the second match, posting 153/6 and bowling out Zimbabwe for 103 runs in 17.4 overs to secure a convincing 50-run victory.
