The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to completely waive the 50% match fee fine imposed on Azam Khan for displaying the Palestine flag on his bat during the ongoing National T20 Championships. The son of former Pakistan captain Moin Khan had been fined by the PCB match referee two days prior for refusing to remove the Palestine flag sticker from his bat.

This action was deemed a violation of Article 2.4 of the PCB Code of Conduct for Players and Players Support Personnel, specifically for repeated failure to comply with the instruction or directive of an umpire during a match.

While the PCB did not provide a specific reason for waiving the fine, nor did it clarify whether Azam would remove the sticker for the remaining matches of the tournament, a brief release from the board stated, “Azam Khan’s 50% fine imposed by match officials has been reviewed and waived off by the Pakistan Cricket Board.”

The PCB in a statement today said: “Azam Khan’s 50pc fine imposed by match officials has been reviewed and waived off by the PCB.”

Read more: PCB lifts fine on Azam Khan over display of Palestinian flag on bathttps://t.co/CxMmjlVJZt

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 28, 2023

The incident occurred during the National T20 Cup 2023-24 match between Karachi Whites, Azam’s team, and Lahore Blues at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. The decision to fine Azam led to a social media outcry, with cricket fans and the public criticizing the PCB for the imposed penalty, especially considering that the match was televised live.

According to ICC rules, players and team officials are prohibited from displaying personal messages on their equipment without prior approval from both the player or team official’s cricket association and the PCB Cricket Operations Department.

Azam Khan, recognized for his T20 big-hitting prowess, has not played for the national team since 2021 but remains a prominent figure in Pakistan cricket. This incident brings attention to the broader issue of personal expressions on the field, as witnessed during the recent ODI World Cup when Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Rizwan tweeted in support of Palestine without facing any ICC fine, as it was deemed a personal opinion.