Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting has been docked part of his match payment after he flipped the bird at a rival in a heated exchange.
The bad blood began simmering back in 2018 when former Pakistan quick Tanvir gave Cutting the middle finger — with both hands — in a fiery send-off after clean bowling him.
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Tanvir was fined 15 per cent of hs match fee for that gesture four yers ago and now he and Cutting have both copped the exact same punishment for trading middle finger salutes in the clash between Peshawar Zalmi and Tanvir’s Quetta Gladiators.
With his side batting first, Cutting put the foot down for Peshawar Zalmi smashed Tanvir for four sixes off one over.
The tension between Cutting and Tanvir kept building between each delivery and exploded when the Aussie flipped the bird at the bowler with both hands with his batting gloves still on — exacting revenge on Tanvir for the same act all those years ago.
A chirpy Cutting exchanged some heated words with Tanvir and the duo had to be separated by the umpire.
Cutting whacked 27 runs off Tanvir’s over and was eventually dismissed for a quickfire 36 off 13 balls off the first delivery of the next over.
As if the cricket gods were conspiring to keep the tension going, Tanvir then had the last laugh when he caught Cutting off the bowling of Naseem Shah, flipping him the double bird one final time as he made his way back to the pavilion.
However, the exchange didn’t sit too well with match officials, who deemed both players had violated article 2.6 of the PSL Code of Conduct for “using a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during a PSL Match”.
“Such type of inappropriate gestures have no space in this great sport,” match referee Ali Naqvi said.
“The players need to always understand and remember their on and off the field responsibilities as they are role models and behaviour like this sends out a wrong message to the younger generation of cricketers.
“The PSL 2022 is being played in good, positive spirits and I would like to see the players continue to fight hard inside the field of play but at the same time to remain within the parameters of the spirit of the game.”
Both Cutting and Tanvir pleaded guilty and the Pakistani apologised for the incident on social media.
“I went and apologised to him (Cutting) at breakfast the next morning,” Tanvir said on Instagram.
“It wasn’t a good gesture at all, it should have been avoided.”
Fans were simultaneously astonished and amused Cutting finally got payback on his old rival four years after their rift started.
Cricket statistician Israr Ahmed Hashmi tweeted: “Ben Cutting and Sohail Tanvir reigniting the ‘middle-finger saga’ from 2018. Ugly scenes!”
Cutting’s cameo helped Peshawar Zalmi post a strong total of 185 off its 20 overs. The Gladiators could only manage 8/161 in reply, falling short by 24 runs and giving Cutting bragging rights in the latest instalment of his feud with Tanvir.