Daily Times

The Inter-national Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday suspended Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmad for four matches for violating ICC’s ‘Anti-Racism Code for Participants’ following an incident that occurred during the second one-day international against South Africa in Durban on Tuesday. Sarfraz aimed a comment at South Africa all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo, which resulted in the wicketkeeper-batsman being charged with an offence under the ICC Code. Sarfraz will miss the two matches of the ongoing ODI series as well as the first two matches of the T20I series to follow. Sarfraz’s on-field taunt in Urdu was caught by stump microphones: “Hey black man, where is your mother sitting? What prayer did you get her to say for you today?” (Abay kaalay, teri ammi aaj kahan baitheen hain? Kya parhwa ke aya hai aaj tu?). Following backlash, Sarfraz later apologised to South African team in general and Phehlukwayo in particular, sharing a picture of him shaking hands with the South African. “He was gracious enough to accept my apology and I hope the people of South Africa also accept my apology,” he said. It is pertinent to mention that there is an option in the ICC Anti-Racism Code for the case to be resolved through a process of conciliation but the ICC determined not to take it through that.

Shoaib Malik will be leading the team against Proteas in remainder of the tour. Sarfraz has been replaced by Mohammad Rizwan. The punishment came five days after the incident, allowing Sarfraz to play the third ODI in Cape Town. Ahead of that game, South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said his team had forgiven Sarfraz for the comments.

The ICC said Sarfraz would also undergo a programme to educate him on issues directly relevant to the offence he had committed and would work with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to determine when and how this would take place. Cricket’s world governing body added that Sarfraz accepted that he had breached the ICC’s Anti-Racism Code for Participants. “The ICC has a zero-tolerance policy towards conduct of this nature,” ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said. “Sarfraz has admitted the offence, was regretful of his actions and has issued a public apology, so these factors were taken into account when determining an appropriate sanction.”

The incident was initially reported by match referee Ranjan Madugalle after he conducted initial investigations and spoke to both players after the match. Following a further investigation, the ICC general counsel, Iain Higgins, then determined that the player had a case to answer under the Code, and the player was issued with a charge notice on January 26.

The ICC’s Anti-Racism Code for Participants states that the following conduct, if committed by a participant at any time during, or in relation to, an international match, shall amount to an offence: “Engaging in any conduct (whether through the use of language, gestures or otherwise), which is likely to offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage or vilify any reasonable person in the position of a player, player support personnel, umpire, match referee, umpire support personnel or any other person (including a spectator) on the basis of their race, religion, culture, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin.”

The ICC is the global governing body for cricket. Representing 105 members, the ICC governs and administrates the game and is responsible for the staging of major international tournaments. The ICC presides over the ICC Code of Conduct which sets the professional standards of discipline for international cricket, playing conditions, bowling reviews and other ICC regulations. The Laws of the game remain under the auspices of the MCC.

Published in Daily Times, January 28^th 2019.