New Delhi: Shakib Al Hasan was fined 10 per cent of his match fees and one demerit point after the Bangladesh all-rounder was found guilty of breaching level 1 of ICC’s Code of Conduct when he threw the ball at Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan in the second innings of the first Test in Rawalpindi. The incident took place I the 33rd over of Pakistan’s second innings.
As Shakib got into his run-up, Rizwan pulled out at the last minute which frustrated the Bangladeshi spinner. Angry at Rizwan’s withdrawal at the last minute, Shakib threw the ball towards the Pakistani batter, which luckily went over his head to the wicketkeeper.
This surprised Rizwan as well as the on-field umpires as Richard Kettleborough had a word with Shakib. “Shakib Al Hasan was fined 10% of his match fee and a demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct,” ICC said in a statement.
“Shakib was penalised in accordance with Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment such as a water bottle) at or near a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other third person in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an International Match,” it added.
Once a player gets a demerit point, it stays on for 24 months. A player can get suspended for atleast one international game if he receives four demerit points in two years. As far as Shakib is concerned, he doesn’t have a prior demerit point. His last sanction by the ICC came in 2018.
Earlier on Sunday, Bangladesh shrugged off political unrest back home to notch a historic 10-wicket win after Pakistan collapsed to 146 all out on a dramatic final day. Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz and left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan shared seven wickets after the pace bowlers mopped up the top order to give Bangladesh its maiden win in 14 Test matches against Pakistan.
