Why Was Afghanistan's Ismat Alam Penalised for Breaching Code of Conduct?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Ismat Alam received a reprimand for a level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.
- One demerit point has been added to his disciplinary record.
- His actions occurred during the crucial 90th over of Zimbabwe's first innings.
- The incident involved throwing the ball dangerously close to a batter.
- Afghanistan is currently struggling in their second innings.
Dubai, Oct 22 (NationPress) Afghanistan's Ismat Alam has been officially reprimanded for breaching level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the one-off Test against Zimbabwe held in Harare on Tuesday.
His actions were found to be in violation of Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which addresses the issue of 'throwing a ball at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an international match.'
As a result of this incident, one demerit point has been added to Ismat's disciplinary record, as this was his first offence within a 24-month timeframe.
The incident occurred in the 90th over of Zimbabwe's first innings when Ismat fielded the ball during his follow-through and threw it perilously close to batsman Tafadzwa Tsiga.
Ismat accepted responsibility for the offence and concurred with the penalty suggested by Richie Richardson from the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, thus eliminating the need for a formal hearing.
The on-field umpires, Adrian Holdstock and Nitin Menon, along with third umpire Forster Mutizwa and fourth umpire Percival Sizara, were responsible for issuing the charge.
Level 1 breaches can lead to a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, which may include up to 50 percent of a player's match fee, as well as one or two demerit points.
Currently, Afghanistan is competing in Zimbabwe for a one-off Test at the Harare Sports Club. After the visiting team's batters scored 127-10 in 32.3 overs of their first innings, the hosts managed to achieve 359-10 in 103 overs, establishing a substantial 232-run lead.
Afghanistan is striving to improve their performance in their second innings, where players Abdul Malik, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi were all dismissed for single-digit scores.
The team aims to secure a more respectable total in their ongoing second innings to avert a defeat.