The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) initially fined Azam Khan, a player for Karachi Whites, 50% of his match fee for having a Palestine flag on his bat during a domestic match against Lahore Blues. The PCB later reconsidered and decided to cancel the penalty imposed by the match officials.

In a statement, the PCB said, “The 50% fine on Azam Khan, imposed by match officials, has been reviewed and waived off.”

Azam Khan was penalized for violating Article 2.4 of the PCB Code of Conduct for not following the umpire’s instructions during the National T20 Cup 2023-24 match. Players are not allowed to display personal messages on their equipment without approval.

According to the ICC code of conduct, players cannot show messages related to politics, religion, or race. Azam had used the same sticker in previous matches but wasn’t warned before the Sunday game.

The fine caused controversy on social media, with fans criticizing the PCB. Azam Khan, known for his T20 skills, has not played for the national team since 2021 but remains a prominent figure in Pakistani cricket.

During the ODI World Cup, Muhammad Rizwan, another Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman, supported Palestine on social media without facing any fine, as the ICC considered it his personal opinion.

Pakistan cricketer Azam Khan got a 50% match fee fine from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for breaking rules about clothing and equipment during a National T20 Cup match in Karachi. He had the flag of Palestine on his bat, which isn’t allowed according to the ICC code of conduct. Azam was warned before by the referee not to use the unapproved logo, but he did it anyway during a match between Karachi Whites and Lahore Blues.

The PCB source said, “The young batter was fined 50% of his match fees. The batter was earlier warned by the referee not to display the unapproved logo (Palestine’s flag) on his bat as it would be a breach of the ICC code of conduct, of which the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also a signatory.”

The incident happened even though Azam had used the same sticker in the last two matches, and no one warned him about it. According to the ICC rules, players can’t display messages related to politics, religion, or race on their clothing or equipment.

In a related matter, another Pakistan player, Mohammad Rizwan, dedicated a recent victory to “brothers and sisters in Gaza” during the Israel-Palestine crisis. However, this drew mixed reactions on social media, with some supporting him and others suggesting that cricketers should focus on the game and stay out of politics. The Pakistan cricket team is preparing for a Test series against Australia, with a training camp organized in Rawalpindi before their departure later this week.