Watson, Wahab fined over on-field warfare
Australia’s Shane Watson and Pakistan paceman Wahab Riaz have been fined by the ICC for breaching the code of conduct after their altercation in the quarter-final on Friday.
Watson has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee while Wahab was fined 50 per cent for actions which match referee Ranjan Madugalle said “crossed that fine line between intense competition and unacceptable behaviour”.
The two players had a long-running duel throughout the quarter-final in Adelaide, which Australia won by six wickets to advance to the World Cup semi-finals.
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Wahab was able to send down a number of bouncers which found Watson wanting, before Watson skied a top-edge to fine leg, only for the fielder to grass a crucial chance.
Watson recovered from Wahab’s early dominance to contribute a match-winning 64 not out to set up a last-four showdown with India at the SCG.
“The incident happened in the 33rd over of Australia’s innings when Watson ignored the umpires’ instructions and verbally engaged with Wahab, who, at the end of the over, followed through towards the batsman and used aggressive and abusive language,” said an International Cricket Council statement.
“Both the players admitted the offences and accepted the sanctions and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.”
Clarke impressed
Meantime, Australia captain Michael Clarke has lauded Wahab, saying his side was lucky to survive the left-armer’s torrid spell to win the World Cup quarter-final.
The co-host, chasing Pakistan’s modest 213 all out, was reduced to 3 for 59 in the 11th over before it recovered to post a six-wicket win in front of a packed house of 47,000 at the Adelaide Oval.
Steve Smith (65) and Shane Watson (64 not out) swung the match around with a fourth-wicket stand of 89 and Glenn Maxwell smashed an unbeaten 44 off 29 balls as Australia won in the 34th over.
Watson hit the winning boundary after a tense start to Australia’s chase saw left-armer Wahab remove David Warner and Clarke in his first two overs.
That spell by Wahab was as good as any I have faced in one-day cricket after a long time.
But two dropped catches, both off Wahab’s bowling, cost Pakistan dearly.
Watson was on 4 when he hooked a bouncer high to fine-leg where Rahat Ali got under the ball but dropped the catch.
Wahab, who later returned for his second spell in the 29th over, almost removed Maxwell with his second delivery, but Sohail Khan at third man failed to hold the top-edged pull.
“That spell by Wahab was as good as any I have faced in one-day cricket after a long time,” Clarke said.
“Left-armers are always tough to face for right-hand batsmen because the ball comes on to you.
“If that catch off Watson had been taken, who knows what would have happened. This game would have been closer for sure.
“Fast bowling definitely played a part in this game for both teams. If Watson’s catch had been taken maybe Pakistan’s 213 may have been enough.
“But credit must go to the way we found a way to see through that spell. There was a bit of luck but it also showed Watson’s experience.”
It emerged later that Watson and Wahab would face charges after their fiery confrontation which saw tempers boil over, words exchanged and the Pakistani even sarcastically applauding the batsman for playing and missing.