Sarfraz pleads guilty before match referee

DURBAN: The Pakistan cricket team's skipper Sarfraz Ahmed has pleaded guilty in a meeting with match referee Ranjan Madugalle here on Wednesday, according to a report aired on Geo News.

He was summoned by the referee after the Pakistan captain passed inappropriate comments on Andile Phehlukwayo during the second One-day International against South Africa on Tuesday.

However, Sarfraz said that his comments were stated in frustration and did not relate to racism.

After recording Sarfraz’s statement, the referee has submitted his report to the ICC, who is expected to  announce its decision in a few hours.

His distasteful comments on the South African player were caught on the broadcast stump mikes and discussed by the commentators.

A video making rounds on social media clearly indicates the statement he allegedly passed in Urdu language against Andile Phehlukwayo.

Sarfraz said to Phehlukwayo, “Abey Kaaley, Teri Ammi aaj kaha baithi huyeen hain, Hain??? Kya parhwa ke aya hai aaj tu?”

The sledge translates roughly to: "Hey black [man], where is your mother sitting? What [kind of prayer] did you ask her to say for you today?"

The Pakistani cricket captain made the comment as South Africa were in their 37th over and Shaheen Afridi delivered ball in the second of five ODIs in the Pakistan-South Africa series.

Sarfraz is in danger of facing sanctions from the International Cricket Council (ICC) as the match officials can initiate disciplinary action, which may fall under the ambit of the their anti-racism code.

According to the “ICC Anti-Racism Policy for International Cricket- 1 October 2012”, The ICC and all of its Members should “not at any time offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage, vilify or unlawfully discriminate between persons based on their race, religion, culture, colour, descent, and/or national or ethnic origin (inappropriate racist conduct).”