On Tuesday, Peshawar Zalmi’s Ben Cutting and Quetta Gladiators’ Sohail Tanvir both were fined 15% of their match costs for breaching a Level 1 infringement of the PSL Code of Conduct during their respective teams’ games in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022.
Both players were found to have violated Article 2.6 of the PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which prohibits “using a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during a PSL match”.
The incident occurred in the penultimate over of Zalmi’s innings when the batter made inappropriate gestures with his fingers after hitting the bowler for a third consecutive six, the PCB stated.
The gesture was reminiscent of what Sohail did after catching Cutting off Naseem Shah on the first ball of the final over.
According to match referee Ali Naqvi, inappropriate gestures have no place in this great sport. The players must always be aware of and remember their responsibilities on and off the field as role models, he said.
“Such behavior sends a negative message to the younger generation of cricketers. The PSL 2022 is being played in good, positive spirit and I would like to see the players continue to fight hard on the field while at the same time remaining true to the spirit of the game,” he concluded.
Cutting and Sohail both pleaded guilty to the charges and agreed to the penalties set by Ali Naqvi, so there was no need for a formal hearing. Michael Gough and Rashid Riaz, as well as third umpire Asif Yaqoob and fourth umpire Waleed Yaqoob, raised the charges.
The PCB recommends that all first-time offenders of Level 1 violations receive an official warning and/or a fine of up to 25 per cent of the match fee.
