Published: Jul 20, 2016, 10:02 AM (IST)
Edited: Jul 20, 2016, 11:27 AM (IST)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) have reprimanded Mohammad Nabi for breaching the code of conduct during Afghanistan’s fourth One-Day International (ODI) against Ireland at Belfast. The incident in question occurred in the sixth over of the game, when Ireland batsman Ed Joyce had hit the ball towards extra-cover boundary. Nabi put in a dive to save the boundary. The batsmen presumed the ball had crossed the rope, and did not complete the third run. Subsequently, ball was thrown back into the proceedings and Joyce was run-out, much to his surprise. After the match, photo evidence proved Nabi’s legs were behind the rope when he saved the boundary. He is now found guilty of violating Level 1 Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Ireland vs Afghanistan, 4th ODI match
About this issue, an ICC release said, “photographic evidence later confirmed that Nabi was in contact with the ball whilst outside the boundary when he had flicked the ball for Rashid Khan to help run-out Joyce.” ALSO READ: Joyce’s knock of 160 allows IRE to beat AFG in 5th ODI
Since the incident, Nabi has admitted to the offence, and has accepted the sanction. Alan Neill, one-of the umpire during that match, was quoted by Belfast Telegraph as saying, “After speaking to my colleague, I spoke to the fielder and asked him had he prevented the four. He said ‘yes’. I then asked ‘were you in control of the ball when you were outside the rope?’ He said ‘no sir’. I went over to my colleague and said ‘we have a problem here’.”
“He said ‘ask him again’, so I repeated the same two questions and got the same two answers. He was adamant he had not touched the ball while he was outside the rope. So we had to take his word and had to give Ed Joyce out.”
