A dramatic moment from the ILT20 final has now landed Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah in trouble with the International Cricket Council (ICC). The 22-year-old left-arm pacer has been fined for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct after a heated on-field exchange in Dubai.
Naseem Shah Fined by ICC for Code of Conduct Breach After ILT20 Final Clash
Babar Azam’s Pakistan teammate Naseem Shah, who was playing for Desert Vipers, has been sanctioned by the ICC following a heated on-field exchange with MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard during the high-stakes ILT20 final on January 4 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.
Naseem was fined 10 percent of his match fee for breaching Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct. The International League T20 (ILT20) confirmed the development on Monday (January 5).
Your daily dose of cricket!
The Incident: What Sparked the Naseem Shah vs Kieron Pollard Clash?
The incident unfolded in the 11th over of the MI Emirates’ chase against the Desert Vipers in the ILT20 title decider at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. After Pollard defended a ball back to Naseem, the Pakistani pacer picked it up with a smile.
This gesture did not go down well with the West Indies legend, with the moment leading to a heated verbal exchange between the two. Both Pollard and Naseem angrily marched toward each other, with the MI Emirates captain clearly fuming and the Pakistani pacer not ready to back down.
The situation escalated quickly, forcing the on-field umpires to step in. Desert Vipers batter Jason Roy also helped calm things down as both players were separated. Despite the intervention, the tension remained visible between the two, but Naseem had a final say in the summit clash.
HEATED MOMENT BETWEEN NASEEM SHAH & POLLARD IN ILT20 FINAL 🔥pic.twitter.com/dUuXWLkt5g
— junaiz (@dhillow_) January 4, 2026
The Official Verdict: Match Referee’s Ruling and Sanctions
The match referee, Simon Taufel, found Naseem in breach of Article 2.5** of the ICC Code of Conduct and handed him a fine. He escaped any suspension.
The ILT20 wrote on its official website: “Desert Vipers pacer Naseem Shah has been fined 10 percent of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct following the DP World ILT20 Season 4 Final against MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium on 4 January.
Read Also: ICC in crisis as players of Pakistani descent struggle to get Indian visas for T20 WC 2026
Shah was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to the use of language, actions, or gestures that could disparage or provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter following their dismissal. The sanction was imposed by Match Referee Simon Taufel.”
The Match Result: Vipers Triumph Amid Controversy
The drama did not derail the Desert Vipers’ campaign. Naseem Shah had the last laugh by dismissing Pollard for 28 later in the ILT20 2025-26 final on Sunday.
The Vipers thrashed MI Emirates by 46 runs to claim their maiden ILT20 title, thanks to an unbeaten half-century from captain Sam Curran and a brilliant spell (3/18) by Naseem in Dubai.
