Malik to lead Pakistan in Australia T20 match
Pakistan said Monday that sacked captain Shoaib Malik would return to
lead the team’s Twenty20 match on tour in Australia after star
all-rounder Shahid Afridi was banned in a ball-tampering row.
“Malik will lead the Pakistan team in the only T20 match against
Australia in the absence of Afridi,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)
said. Afridi, 29, was caught by television cameras biting the ball in
Pakistan’s fifth and final one-dayer against Australia at Perth on
Sunday.
Under International Cricket Council rules any attempt to change the
condition of the ball through illegal means is a violation of the
players’ code of conduct and is liable to punishment. The on-field and
third umpires reported the incident to match referee Ranjan Madugalle
who conducted separate hearings with team manager Abdur Raqeeb and
Afridi before handing the player a two-match international Twenty 20
ban. Yousuf has not been named in the 15-man party for the Twenty20
match.
KARACHI, AFP |