Pak Senators for stern action against Afridi for disgraceful 'ball chomping' act

Lahore, Feb.16 (ANI): Trouble for hard hitting Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi may increase, as the Senate Standing Committee on Sports has called for strict disciplinary action against him for his disgraceful 'ball chomping' act in Australia.

Afridi was caught on camera biting the ball during the fifth and final one-day international against Australia at Perth earlier this month following which the International Cricket Council (ICC) had imposed a two T20 match on him.

The committee members told the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that Afridi had maligned the country's reputation and such an offence warranted a harsher penalty.

"If Afridi bites the ball like an apple, there are lots of problems behind it. If you don't take action this will happen again. The team lacks discipline and you got to rectify the problem," Senator Haroon Akhtar told Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt.

Senator Tariq Azeem recommended that the PCB should ban Afridi for five years.

"Afridi has brought a bad name for our country. He should be punished severely to ensure that no player does such a act in future," The Daily Times quoted Azeem, as saying.

However, Butt said the PCB cannot punish Afridi further, as he is already facing a ban by the ICC.

"The ICC has told us clearly that you can't punish a player twice for one offence. Their lawyer has also suggested that if we handed more punishment to Afridi, and he challenges it in court, it will run the PCB into trouble," Butt said.

Countering Butt, Azeem said the PCB should not compromise on nation's integrity and set an example by slapping a ban on Afridi.

"No player is indispensable. We should tell the world that we are not cheaters and we know how to deal with indiscipline players," he said. (ANI)