Pakistan captain banned

Cricket: Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has been banned for four games for a racist onfield taunt aimed at South Africa allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo, ruling him out of the remainder of the oneday series and the first two Twenty20 games.

The International Cricket Council said Sarfraz was guilty of a breach of the sport’s antiracism code. The ICC said Safraz accepted the charge.

Shoaib Malik captained Pakistan for the fourth oneday international in Johannesburg in Sarfraz’s place.

Sarfraz was caught on a stumps microphone in the second ODI in Durban racially taunting the South African player in the Urdu language.

Sarfraz denied the comments were directed at Phehlukwayo specifically.

The Pakistan captain made a public apology and also apologised in person to Phehlukwayo but the incident was still investigated by the ICC. — AP