Emirates ICC Elite Panel: Ireland batter and former captain Andrew Balbirnie has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second T20I against Afghanistan in Sharjah on Sunday, which also marked his 100th appearance in the format.
The incident occurred in the 16th over of Ireland’s innings, when Balbirnie showed dissent on being adjudged leg before wicket by pointing to his gloves and telling the umpire that the ball had touched the gloves before hitting his pads.
Balbirnie was found to have breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.” In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Balbirnie’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.
Balbirnie admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by David Boon of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Bismillah Jan Shinwari and Izatullah Safi, third umpire Ahmed Shah Pakteen and fourth umpire Ahmed Shah Durrani levelled the charges.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points. In that match, Ireland suffered a 10-run defeat against Afghanistan, who bounced back to level the series 1-1. The two team will compete in the series decider today at Sharjah later on Monday.