T20 World Cup 2026: Mohammad Nabi Fined by ICC After Arguing with Umpire Over Visibility Issues

A heated argument was witnessed between Mohammad Nabi and the umpire, leading the International Cricket Council (ICC) to impose a fine on him. The ICC has fined Nabi 15 percent of his match fee for violating the umpire's decision.

Mohammad Nabi fined. South Africa vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2026: The 13th match of the T20 World Cup 2026 was played between South Africa and Afghanistan. Two Super Overs were witnessed in this match played in Ahmedabad. However, in the end, South Africa emerged victorious, securing two points from the match.

ICC Fines Mohammad Nabi

During this match, a heated argument was observed between Afghanistan's experienced all-rounder and former captain Mohammad Nabi and the umpires. Consequently, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a fine on him. The ICC has fined Nabi 15 per cent of his match fee for violating the umpire's decision. This incident occurred in the 14th over of Afghanistan's innings when Nabi engaged in a prolonged argument with the umpires regarding the wristband worn by South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi.

Issue Arises from Lungi Ngidi's Wristband

At the start of the over, as soon as Lungi Ngidi came in to bowl, Mohammad Nabi, who was on strike, stopped him midway. Nabi's argument was that the bright yellow wristband Ngidi was wearing on his wrist was obstructing his view of the ball. Nabi believed that the colour of the wristband was blending with the ball, making it difficult for him to play his shots.

Heated Exchange Between Nabi and Umpires

Nabi appeared quite aggressive on this issue and demanded that the umpires remove Ngidi's wristband. However, the umpires did not fully accept Nabi's contention. A heated discussion continued between Nabi and the umpires for a considerable time. During this period, South African players also joined the argument, leading to a verbal exchange between Nabi and the South African players. Seeing the situation escalate, captain Aiden Markram had to intervene and tried to calm Nabi down. Finally, play resumed on the umpires' instruction, but Ngidi did not remove the wristband.

Violation of ICC Code of Conduct Level-1

By objecting to the umpire's decision, Nabi violated Level-1 of the ICC Code of Conduct. The ICC stated in a release on Thursday that Nabi accepted his offense and agreed to the penalty proposed by David Gilbert of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees. Therefore, a formal hearing was not required. Additionally, as this is his first offense in the last 24 months, one demerit point has also been added to his record.

The match played between the two teams was extremely thrilling and ended in a tie. Following this, two Super Overs were played to decide the winner, in which South Africa ultimately emerged victorious, securing two points from the match.