South African wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has been fined 15% of his match fee for violating Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct. The incident occurred during the second ODI against Pakistan on Thursday at Newlands, Cape Town. In addition to the fine, Klaasen received a demerit point added to his disciplinary record.
As stated by the ICC, Klaasen breached Article 2.2 of the Code of Conduct, which pertains to the “abuse of cricket equipment, clothing, ground equipment, or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”
Match referee Richie Richardson handed down the penalty to the 33-year-old following an incident where Klaasen, after being dismissed for 97 off 74 balls, struck the stumps in frustration. He was Naseem Shah’s third wicket of the innings, following Temba Bavuma and Bjorn Fortuin.
Heinrich Klaasen fights hard as Pakistan thrash South Africa to level series
Chasing a challenging target of 330, South Africa saw Tony de Zorzi, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, and David Miller make promising starts but fail to capitalize. The game slipped further when Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Miller, ending a 72-run partnership with Klaasen.
Shaheen Afridi delivered an outstanding performance with the ball, finishing with figures of 8 overs, no maidens, 47 runs conceded, and 4 crucial wickets. He was well-supported by Naseem Shah, who picked up three wickets, while Abrar Ahmed claimed two, and Salman Ali Agha chipped in with one, collectively bundling South Africa out for 248.
Pakistan’s batting was spearheaded by impressive half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan, who top-scored with 80 runs, Babar Azam, who contributed a well-compiled 73, and Kamran Ghulam, who added a solid 63. Their efforts helped Pakistan post an imposing total of 329, setting a challenging target for the South African side.
The series decider will be held on Sunday, December 22, in Johannesburg. However, South Africa faces a setback as Ottniel Baartman has been ruled out of the match with a knee injury. The Proteas earlier won the T20I series, with the teams set to play two Tests starting December 26.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.