While appearing for his 100th T20I match for Ireland, Balbirnie was fined 25 per cent of his match fee when he was found to have breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.”

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

As a result, one demerit point has been added to Balbirnie’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.

The incident occurred during the 16th over of Ireland's batting innings, when Balbirnie expressed disagreement after being given out leg-before wicket. He pointed to his gloves and informed the umpire that the ball had made contact with his gloves before striking his pads.

On-field umpires Bismillah Jan Shinwari and Izatullah Safi, third umpire Ahmed Shah Pakteen and fourth umpire Ahmed Shah Durrani levelled the charges against Balnirnie.

Balbirnie admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by David Boon of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

Ireland were handed a 10-run defeat by Afghanistan who levelled the series 1-1. The two sides will compete in the decider today, 18 March in Sharjah.