Shoaib Akhtar slams Sarfraz Ahmed for using obscene words against SA batsman

It was not a happy 100th ODI for Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed in Durban on Tuesday. Not only his team lost the game by 5 wickets after yet another batting debacle, but the captain also found himself in trouble for uttering obscene words against South Africa pacer Andile Phehlukwayo who played a major role in scripting a win for the Proteas to level the five-match series 1-1.

The 22-year-old fast bowler who made his international debut in 2016 first picked four Pakistani wickets for just 22 runs (including that of Sarfraz) to restrict them to 203 and then played an unbeaten knock of 69 in 80 balls to pull his team out of trouble. He Phehlukwayo put up unbeaten 127 runs with newcomer Rassie van der Dussen who hit his second fifty of the series in as many games to take the hosts home with eight overs to spare.

The ugly incident unfolded in the 37th over of the South African chase when an edge from Phehlukwayo off Shaheen Afridi’s ball raced past the stumps, leaving the fielding side disappointed. It was then when Sarfraz failed to contain his frustration and uttered in Urdu and they were caught on the stump mic: “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?)

Ramiz Raja avoided translating Sarfraz’s words for his co-commentators

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja, who was commentating at the time, found it convenient to avoid translating Sarfraz’s words for his English-speaking co-commentators. Even when Mike Haysman asked him what the Pakistani captain said, Raja said it was difficult to translate that since the sentence was long.

However, Sarfraz’s words had a damaging impact and former Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar lashed out at him for such behaviour. In a video tweet, Akhtar said, “It is absolutely unacceptable as a Pakistani. I think he (Sarfraz) did it in the heat of the moment but he should apologise.” The Twitterati’s reaction to Akhtar’s take was, however, mixed.

Sarfraz must explain himself to Media & public regarding his comments to batsman.. pic.twitter.com/Ocx74ry4IW

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) January 23, 2019

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