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Pakistan all-rounder Khushdil Shah has been fined 50% of his match fee after being found guilty of a Level 2 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during the opening T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch on Sunday. The incident occurred during the 8th over of Pakistan’s innings when Khushdil collided with New Zealand bowler Zakary Foulkes.
The ICC charged Khushdil under Article 2.12, which pertains to improper physical contact during an international match. Match officials, including referee Jeff Crowe, deemed the collision as “forceful physical contact that was both careless and preventable.” Khushdil accepted the charge and the imposed sanction, negating the need for a formal hearing.
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In addition to the hefty fine, three demerit points were added to Khushdil’s disciplinary record. This was his first offense in the past 24 months, and under ICC regulations, accumulating four demerit points within this period would convert to suspension points, potentially leading to match bans.
The incident added to Pakistan’s woes on a disappointing day as they managed to post only 91 runs in their innings, marking a lackluster start to Salman Ali Agha’s tenure as permanent T20I captain. Despite Khushdil’s 32-run effort, the rest of the batting lineup faltered. Agha (18) and Jahandad Khan (17) were the only other players to reach double figures.
New Zealand’s bowling attack was relentless, with Jacob Duffy taking 4/14 and Kyle Jamieson grabbing 3/8, dismantling Pakistan’s batting order. Chasing a modest target, the hosts eased to victory with Tim Seifert top-scoring with 44 off 29 balls. Despite Abrar Ahmed’s dismissal of Seifert, Finn Allen (29*) and Tim Robinson (18*) comfortably saw the Black Caps home with nine wickets in hand and 59 balls remaining, giving New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
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