Pakistan players Wahab Riaz and Ahmed Shehzad have been fined heavily and given a warning by the Cricket Board for a heated on-field altercation during a PSL match in the UAE. The incident happened in the fifth over of the match between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi when the two Pakistani players pushed each other and exchanged harsh words. While Shehzad was fined 30 per cent of his match fee, Riaz was penalised 40 per cent of his game earnings by match referee Roshan Mahanama.
Shehzad’s fellow Quetta Gladiators batsman Asad Shafiq pulled him away, as did Riaz’s Peshawar Zalmi teammates. Even as the duo were walking away from each other they continued to mouth off. Riaz’s captain Shahid Afridi then took him aside and had a few words, as Riaz eventually calmed down. Riaz finished with figures of 2 for 19 in three overs, but it was Afridi who stole the show. Afridi bowled a mind-numbing spell of 5 for 7 in 4 overs with one maiden, routing Quetta Gladiators for a mere 129 in 18 overs. Dawid Malan (60 not out) along with Mohammad Hafeez (36), and Kamran Akmal (17) ensured that there were no unpleasant surprises for Peshawar Zalmi, as they chased down the total by 8 wickets with 8 balls to spare.
“The players have been asked to behave as such incidents hampers the image of Pakistan cricket as millions are watching the PSL around the globe,” a PCB official said. “Physical contact is a serious offence and we don’t take it lightly, this time the players have just been cautioned privately since they were fined by the match referee,” the official added.
While Wahab has been named in the Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup and World T20 the national selectors have sidelined Shehzad for not showing consistent form.
