Hammad Azam Penalized for On-Field Conduct

KARACHI: Kingsmen captain Hammad Azam has been penalized with a complete deduction of his match earnings due to inappropriate conduct during a crucial match against Wing Triple Nine Sports in the ongoing PCB Grade-II Tournament, sources verified on Thursday.

The event occurred at the State Bank Ground in Karachi, where Hammad Azam reportedly became agitated after the on-field umpires signaled him out during the game.

Sources indicate that the all-rounder not only behaved improperly toward field officials Rafiq Ahmed and Abdul Kareem, but also made unsuitable comments directed at match referee Ali Gohar.

Both umpires officially communicated the issue to the match referee, resulting in disciplinary measures. Hammad, accompanied by the Kingsmen team manager, was called to attend a formal hearing.

Insiders claim that the skipper persisted in displaying aggressive behavior during the session, which further worsened the situation.

Taking a firm stance against the repeated misconduct, match referee Ali Gohar enforced a complete deduction of Hammad Azam’s match fees, reinforcing a stringent message concerning player discipline and on-field behavior.

Notably, the President’s Trophy Grade-II 2024-25 commenced on Tuesday, taking place across eight cities: Abbottabad, Haripur, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura, and Swabi.

The tournament comprises 85 matches, conducted over three days each, except for the final, which will extend over four days from May 22 to 25.

More than 400 players from across the nation will be afforded an opportunity to exhibit their abilities in this red-ball contest.

The tournament champion will be awarded PKR 5 million, while the runner-up will secure PKR 2.5 million from a total prize pool amounting to PKR 7.75 million.

The leading two teams from each group will proceed to the quarter-finals, scheduled from May 14 to 16, with the semi-finals following from May 18 to 20.

The locations for the knockout phase of the President’s Trophy Grade-II will be announced subsequently.