Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ Caribbean stars Andre Russell and Sherfane Rutherford have been fined by match officials following their side’s clash against Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20 on December 22.
Both players were found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in separate on-field incidents during the match, which was assessed by former elite umpire and match referee Simon Taufel.
According to an official release on the ILT20 website, Rutherford was fined 50 per cent of his match fee for violating Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, an offence related to the abuse of cricket equipment, clothing, or fixtures. This marked Rutherford’s second such offence in the ongoing tournament, leading to a heavier penalty.
Andre Russell was also charged under the same article but, having committed the offence for the first time this season, was fined 10 per cent of his match fee.
On the field, it was a disappointing outing for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, who suffered a dramatic top-order collapse to slump to 10 for 4 within the first four overs. Batting at number six, Rutherford top-scored for his side with 44 off 36 deliveries, striking four boundaries and a six. Russell contributed a brisk 18 off 12 balls, including two sixes, as ADKR posted 134 for 9 in their 20 overs.
Sharjah Warriors, led by Sikandar Raza, held their nerve to chase down the target on the final ball, sealing a four-wicket victory. Somerset batter James Rew starred in the chase with a composed 42 off 29 balls, which included four fours and a six. Russell endured a tough day with the ball, finishing wicketless while conceding 36 runs in his four-over spell.
