Heinrich Klaasen fined by ICC for kicking stumps
South African cricketer Heinrich Klaasen has been slapped with a 15% match fee fine by the International Cricket Council (ICC), after he showed his frustration in the second ODI against Pakistan in Cape Town. The incident happened after Klaasen's dismissal when he kicked the stumps in disappointment. As it was his first offense in a two-year period, one demerit point was added to his record.
Klaasen's dismissal and subsequent action
Klaasen was the last wicket to fall for South Africa when they needed 82 runs from 42 balls. He tried pulling Naseem Shah's first ball of the 44th over but was caught out, ending his and South Africa's innings. After his dismissal, Klaasen kicked the stumps in frustration. This act resulted in his penalty by ICC for breaching Article 2.2 of their Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
Klaasen accepts sanction for ICC code violation
The charge against Klaasen was leveled by on-field umpires Alex Wharf and Lubabalo Gcuma, third umpire Nitin Menon, and fourth umpire Allahuddien Palekar. Klaasen admitted to the offense and accepted the sanction proposed by Match Referee Richie Richardson. This acceptance came after an earlier clash with Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan during the same match, which was diffused by the intervention of umpires.
South Africa's struggle against Pakistan in ODI series
Despite Klaasen's brilliant 97-run knock off 74 balls, South Africa failed to win against Pakistan. The team lost by 81 runs, giving Pakistan the opportunity to seal the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Klaasen's outburst was viewed as a reflection of the increasing frustration in the South African camp as they continue to struggle against Pakistan.
