Afridi banned for ball-tampering

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam confirmed that match referee Ranjan Madugalle had banned Afridi for two matches after holding a hearing following a complaint by on-field umpires Asoka De Silva and Paul Reiffel immediately after the match. “It is unfortunate what has happened because Afridi was due to lead Pakistan in the Twenty20 match next week against Australia,” Alam said from Perth.

Afridi, who led Pakistan in the final one-dayer in place of the unfit Mohammad Yousuf, was caught on camera chewing on one side of the ball while walking to the run-up with bowler Mohammad Asif.

Trying to change the condition of the ball through illegal means prompts strict penalties from the ICC.

In 2005, Afridi was banned for twisting his spikes and trying to change condition of pitch during a Test match in Faisalabad against England.

With Afridi banned and Yousuf not a part of the Twenty20 set-up, it is expected that Shoaib Malik, who wsa captain in all three formats this time last year, might return to the hot seat for next week’s contest.

Qasim resigns
Taking moral responsibility of Pakistan’s “shameful” performance against Australia in both the Test and one-day series, country’s chief selector Iqbal Qasim resigned from his post on Sunday.

Qasim’s decision came after Pakistan lost the fifth and final one-dayer against Australia by two wickets at Perth, which also completed a 0-5 whitewash. Pakistan earlier lost the three-match Test series 0-3.

“After the clean sweep in the Test as well as the one-day series in Australia, I don’t think it is my moral duty to remain the chief selector,” said Qasim, a former spinner.
Qasim said that he had sent his resignation by e-mail to Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ejaz Butt and Chief Operating Officer Wasim Bari.

“The results do not reflect the strength of our team. It is just that the players lacked the self belief and form to do well in Australia,” the former left-arm spinner said.

Qasim is the third chief selector to resign in  Butt’s tenure. Salahuddin Ahmed and Abdul Qadir had earlier resigned for different reasons from the national selection committee.