Imran Tahir fined 30 percent of the match fees for altercation with David Warner

The South Africa vs Australia 5th ODI was spiced up when Aussie opener David Warner decided that he was going to fight his way to try and chase down the total despite no support from the other end. Chasing 382 runs no other batsman was able to stand against the South African bowling attack. Pacer Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada and leg-spinner Imran Tahir were the pick of the bowlers for the hosts as they picked a couple of wickets each.

Tahir, in particular, was bowling exceptional at the time when Warner was going all guns blazing. The leggie was seen exchanging words with Warner who though wasn’t intimidated couldn’t get the team over the line in the end as Australia fell 31 runs short of the target.

South African skipper Faf du Plessis had defended his bowler and his actions during the game saying, “He wears his heart on his sleeve. He loves doing well. I haven’t seen him like that but it just shows how badly he wanted to win the game,” du Plessis said. “He realised David Warner was playing a great knock and he had to try and get under his skin. They had a few words,”

It was considered a breach of the Code of Conduct by the umpires though and Imran Tahir has been fined 30 per cent of his match fee for showing a “lack of respect for the umpires”

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As per the ICC statement, Tahir was ruled to have “displayed a lack of respect for the umpires when he ignored their requests to stop by continuing to verbally engage with opener David Warner”.

The veteran was found guilty of “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game”. In addition to the fine, Tahir has also received two demerit points under the International Cricket Council’s revised Code of Conduct for players.

With the ICC’s new demerit points system in effect, Tahir will now have to keep a check on his actions since another two demerits in the next 24 months might get him a ban for either one Test match or two limited-overs internationals, whichever comes first.

The South African team bowled with a slower over-rate for which all the players have been fined 10 percent of their match fee, while skipper Faf du Plessis has been fined 20 per cent.

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In case the South Africans commit another minor over-rate breach in an ODI within 12 months with Faf as the captain it will be his second offense and he will be suspended for a game. Both the player du Plessis and Tahir accepted the sanctions by the match referee and there was no need for a formal hearing.