Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been slapped with a four-match suspension for his comments about Andile Phehlukwayo. 

Ahmed taunted all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo in Urdu: ‘Abey kaale, teri ammi aaj kahaan baitheen hain? Kya parwa ke aaye hai aaj? (Hey black guy, where’s your mother sitting today? What prayer have you got her to say for you today?)’. His comments were heard on the stump microphone.

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Sarfaraz read out a statement apologising for the incident in the third ODI post-match press conference.

Shoaib Malik has been named stand-in skipper for the duration of the 4-match suspension.

‘We wanted him, but the incident … we all know what has happened. I don’t want to comment about it,’ said Shoaib at the toss. ‘But they’ve given me this opportunity, and I want to do my best.’

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Faf du Plessis confirmed that the Proteas have forgiven the Pakistan skipper for the comment.

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The ICC confirmed that Sarfaraz will be banned for four matches after accepting that he was in breach of the ICC’s anti-racism code for participants following an incident that occurred during the second ODI against South Africa in Durban on Tuesday.

He was charged with the following code:

‘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.’

Sarfaraz will miss the remaining two matches of the ongoing ODI series, as well as the first two matches of the T20I series to follow.

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