Pakistani batter Azam Khan fined 50% match fees for displaying Palestinian flag on his bat

In the National T20 tournament in Karachi, Azam Khan, the middle-order batter for Karachi Whites, faced a 50% fine of his match fees. The penalty was imposed for violating clothing and equipment regulations by displaying an "unapproved logo", in this case, the flag of Palestine, during a game against Lahore Blues. Azam scored 35 runs before being summoned by match referee Mohammad Javed.

A reliable source confirmed to Geo News that Azam had indeed been fined, shedding light on the breach of the ICC code of conduct. The flamboyant batter had been warned earlier not to showcase the flag on his bat. Despite the warning, Azam argued that all his bats had identical stickers.

The ICC regulations explicitly prohibit players from displaying messages with political, religious, or racial undertones on their clothing or equipment. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), as a signatory to these rules, confirmed that Azam was charged with violating these regulations.

PCB sources revealed that Azam had used the same sticker in two previous National T20 Cup games without facing any warnings.

However, during the recent match, the breach was addressed, resulting in a fine.

This incident follows Pakistan's cricket team expressing solidarity with Palestine during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in October.

At that time, questions were raised by Indian fans and cricket experts regarding the permissibility of such political gestures in the tournament. The PCB dismissed objections, asserting that the team's expression of solidarity was a personal decision.