Why ICC Penalised Pakistan Cricketers Mohammad Abbas, Khurram Shahzad After First Test Against West Indies

Pakistan fast bowlers Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad have been sanctioned by the International Cricket Council for separate breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct during the opening Test against West Indies in Tarouba.

Both players were found guilty of Level 1 offences under Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which is implemented to using words, gestures or actions that could provoke an aggressive response from a batter following a dismissal.

Khurram Shahzad was fined 15% of his match fee and handed one demerit point for celebrating too close to West Indies batter Shai Hope after his dismissal.

While Mohammad Abbas received an official reprimand and one demerit point for his animated celebration.

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Babar Azam’s Fighting Fifty In Vain As West Indies Win First Test

Pakistan captain Babar Azam scored a determined unbeaten 58, but his effort was not enough as West Indies clinched a 90-run victory in the first Test.

Chasing 211 for victory after West Indies were bowled out for 181 in their second innings, Pakistan collapsed to 71-9 as West Indies pacer Jayden Seales delivered a match-winning spell, finishing with figures of 5-20.

As Pakistan’s defeat was round the corner, Babar found an unlikely partner in No. 11 Mohammad Abbas. The duo added 49 runs for the final wicket and delayed the inevitable, as they batted together for 12 overs.

Abbas eventually got out for 23 shortly after tea on the fourth day, with Pakistan’s score at 120.

The Pakistan captain’s unbeaten half-century stood out in a disappointing batting display, as he reached the milestone off 81 balls while Pakistan were struggling at 88-9. The rest of Pakistan’s batters had managed only 38 runs at that stage.

“We played good cricket in the last few days but today we were not up to the mark as a batting unit,” Babar said. “We lost back-to-back wickets. We will look to make sure it doesn’t happen in the next matches.

“The surface is good and we expected the new ball to move for which we were prepared,” he added. “But I think they bowled very well and used the conditions nicely.”

Pakistan’s Batting Collapse Continues

Pakistan’s second-innings collapse followed a similar pattern to their first innings. The visitors appeared well placed at 244-4 after Shan Masood’s century but lost their next six wickets for just 38 runs to be bowled out for 282.