Lol. what do u mean "what was he thinking?", you need a brain to think!

I completely agree with you. Quite funny too, I wonder what excuse Afridi will come with.

feel pity for people who think afridi can be a good captain.Why don't people think captain needs to lead by example. Give him T20 captaincy, but is he responsible person to handle captaincy?He has never batted more than 20 overs even in ODIs. Is he responsible enough?He as already been charged once due to invading pitch in England, did he learn anything from there? well i should say did he learn anything from his 14 years career? He still plays the same way. NO RESPONSIBILITY. Younis still is the best choice. responsible and good leader in field. enthusiastic. good field placing. and has never been involved in on field drama.

feel pity for people who think afridi can be a good captain.Why don't people think captain needs to lead by example. Give him T20 captaincy, but is he responsible person to handle captaincy?He has never batted more than 20 overs even in ODIs. Is he responsible enough?He as already been charged once due to invading pitch in England, did he learn anything from there? well i should say did he learn anything from his 14 years career? He still plays the same way. NO RESPONSIBILITY. Younis still is the best choice. responsible and good leader in field. enthusiastic. good field placing. and has never been involved in on field drama.

Hi Mike,

I think you go it spot on, with 20 odd cameras looking out for the slightest of edeges and run out chances , the Afridi incident was reitrating the fact that he has become a cricketer with pure talents and not with any degree of professionalism. For a player who has played 200 odd matches, he sould by now know how to conduct himself as a player leave alone set examples to others in the team in form of their captain.
I think he did that twice in the match, not sure what he was thinking about it (will they not catch him red handed - unbelievable).
Well coming to Younis Khan's position in the side after his dismal performance, he is not different from other Pakistanis on this tour.
He is a little bit out of sorts at the moment but nothing can be done as none is good enough to take this position.

I was watching it live. Asif was bowling and in his last over. Rana Naved (known for getting the ball reversing) was to bowl 3 over at the death and that is when Afridi did it. Old habits die hard and that is what some Pakistan bolwers have admitted doing with the ball in past, with nails or bottle caps.
Really poor on part of Afridi

i suggest him not to even give explanations. These guys are sort of role model for young cricketers. I suggest him to resign over this incident.

The whole tackle saga was funny to all us Aussies who watch Rugby League or Aussie Rules and saw it a poor and pretty benign tackle by some drunken lout.

As far as the "bite," I think the umpires were too gutless after the who Oval saga to penalize Pakistan.

TWO IMPORTANT REASON WHY PAKISTAN DID'NT WIN ANY MATCH WITH AUSTRALIA.. ANY GUESS?? No 1)THEY DONT GET BOTTLE CAPS DURING DRINKS BREAK.. (REMEMBER WAQAR WASIM REVERSE SWING YORKERS) No 2)THEY USE 24 ON FIELD CAMERAS..
AND WE ALL THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE OF AUSSIES..

Inshallah pakistan will rise from ashes to strike back with vengenace...the afridi incident is forgetable and disgraceful.
But remember this a top Aussie side on a role...only recently a third string aussie side thrashed India in INDIA...so I would read into this series too much...hopefully Afridi gets away a light punishment..Pakistan has endured alot of harshness from Modi, ICC, internal politics...resulting in exclusion, ban at playing home, disharmony within the team...again inshallah pakistan will rise above all this

Oh yes, 'that is so Pakistan' :P

I agree 100% with you Michael, if younis Khan has any dignity he should resign now, because of him a sincere selector like Iqbal Qasim resigned.
Afridi should be held responsible if he made some stupid attemept.
The spectator intrusion was just the highlight of Aussie sporting spirit when they are losing they just try to hit the batsman with the ball or try to cause a run out while cuming in the way of the batsmen.

LOL = And then you ask why IPL doesn't want Paki players!!!!!!!

Should have been a life ban....considering his spin move on the pitch against england.

he was thinking that he has strongest teeth in the world. he should kick out from paki soil

I dont think the spectator tackling Latif is second to anything in terms of stupidity. As an Australian it is embarrassing and I hope he gets locked up for being such an idiot. I'm glad the Pakistani cricketer was unharmed.

What MCC stands for? What grade do you play cricket for?

Well said, mate! After Afridi disgraced himself and his team, I felt Pakistan needed yet another lesson in the form of yet another loss. Sure enough, they had it coming. And I, like many I'm sure, was starting to think Pakistan's captain problem was solved.

I see he's been banned for 2 T20s... that includes Friday's and the first Against England in February

This incident should not be passed off as dumb. A deliberate action is never dumb. The question is: how many times has he not been caught and has altered the game.

His actions were undoubtedly shameful. Equally undoubtedly, he is the best leader that Pakistan has at the moment, its a shame that he has retired from Test cricket. In my opinion, he should be the captain in all three forms. As for ball tampering, he is not the first captain (or superstar) in history to do that. Under the broad umbrealla of cheating, we Shane Warne's drug episode in 2003 world cup and Mike Atherton's ball tamoering come to mind straight away. That is not to say, however, that he should have done it just because other superstars did it.

Really disappointed by Afridi.Team looked like a complete different outfit with him in charge.His bowling was superb and I thought he and Malik bowled very well as a combination.

He's been caught before doing this sort of dodgy stuff before on camera(iirc it was a test against England) as well , which make his actions look even dumber.

I honestly do NOT believe he can think! After over some 300 ODIs, he was out to an atrocious shot which says a lot about his mental make-up as a cricketer and as a captain. There were about ten overs left and he could have waited to launch. Afridi is either brainless and/or prefers to play to the gallery! Today, Pakistan was 20 runs away from winning as a score of 230 or so would have been enough. Salman Butt is another who should be dropped together with Younis Khan - who is clearly out of his depths. Enough of playing on one's resume! Shoaib Malik should have been played in all five matches, as he is a fighter and makes most of his limited talents. Umar Akmal seems to be short of stamina due to the fact that he gets out so often after scoring fifty, or is it his mental make-up as well? He ran out Shoaib Malik and for me that was the turning point, despite Fawad Alam's brave innings to fight back. A major overhaul of Pakistan cricket is needed together with some tough decisions!

That is Afridi for you. Charming, stupid, unpredictable, stupid. How this keeps happening to Pakistan team, time and again points to the fact that they need more grooming or discipline.

i must say......pakistan cricket is damn mysterious and unpredictable 'cuz of their controversies,ball-tampering incidents,match-fixing accusations,doping accusations.....i didn't expect to hear such news about shahid afridi.....it saddened me

I would like to congratulate Pakis on their hopeless performance started from 1999 world cup till today.
The irrespinsible behavior came from Wasim Akram, then Shoib MAlik, Younis Khan, Mohamamd Yusuf & now Shaid Afridi proved that this team is nothing but a fatigue in cricket history. I would like to call Ijazz butt to step down as CEO of PCB for moral values.
Late saying of fielding camps from Intikhab is also accountable. Alas!!!!

Funny but very stupid

Afridi thinks he is above all and super star , the ball bitting will help his fast bowlers reverse swing, he is cheating the cricket world like this, he should be banned for more.

There are so many things need to be done at PCB, including change of old and unfit cairman, coach(es),and captain but these things can wait a while.What can and should not wait is sacking and banishment of shameless Afridi whose cheating combind with stupidity has proven once for all that we are a nation where cheats are our heroes. BY taking an examplry action against Afridi we infact will be sending amessage to the world that we do not tolerate cheats amongst us. But I know I am asking for the moon!

'Pakistan'. What else is there to say.

If my memory serves me right the same Afridi was caught on tape doing a twist and turn and tampering the pitch.I don't remember the team. I wonder how PCB has selected such cheat to lead a national team

Dumb? It was not stupidity. It was an deliberate act of cheating by a desperate captain who would like to win at any cost rather than playing honourably. Of course it is no surprise as Afridi has exhibited his unethical behaviour previously as well.

Regarding the other incident, WACA must be punished with a ban for the lax security. But I wont be holding my breath for that.

Right what happened to ICC when Stuart Broad and James Anderson got caught playing around with the ball and rubbing it with their shoe spikes.
This ICC is really a corrupt unit who is run by some racist people.Only comes alive when teams like Pakistan does something wrong.Still wondering when PCB is going to take some actions because ICC will continue to hurt Pakistan.

Right what happened to ICC when Stuart Broad and James Anderson got caught playing around with the ball and rubbing it with their shoe spikes.
This ICC is really a corrupt unit who is run by some racist people.Only comes alive when teams like Pakistan does something wrong.Still wondering when PCB is going to take some actions because ICC will continue to hurt Pakistan.

I happen to be a Pakistani who lives in Australia. There is a lot going in our country but I never felt ashamed of anything and always had a last word when ever my local friends talk about Pakistan. Since Our cricketers started their tour, It has been a nightmare for me at Work and local gatherings.
Like any other cricketer fan, I love Afridi but what he has done today is simply beyond my understanding. I mean a 3-0 defeat in test and then a 5-0 in ODI's was enough to Hurt Pakistani nation but this incident will cause more even embarrassment for us on international platforms. Not to mention poor pakistani's like me who are based overseas specially in Australia. I love Afridi but as you said, what was he thinking?

ohh Boy, i wish I could put my feelings in words. I love cricket, sleep cricket, eat cricket and this Pakistani team just could let us down any better than this.

DEATH OF PAKISTAN CRICKET

Mar 05 - Pak v Ind 1-1 Afridi ave 36.50

May 05 Pak v WI 1-1 Afridi ave 53.50

Dec 05 Eng v Pak 2-0 to pak - Afridi ave 46.00

Feb 06 Ind v Pak 1-0 to Pak Afridi ave 66.00

Apr 06 Pak v SL 1-0 to Pak Afridi ave 14.00

Pakistan Ranked 2 – Pakistan never lose to England (do they?)

Aug 06 Pak V Eng –3-0 to Eng & PAKISTAN HAD DESERVED TO WIN SERIES

Aug 06 – Ball tampering chaos engulfs Pakistan

Aug 06 – Pakistan walks off field and forfeit test

Oct 06 - Asif and Akhtar to return home after drugs shame

Nov 06 Liaison officer claims Shoaib-Woolmer bust-up

Dec 06 WI V Pak 2-0 to Pak

Jan 07 Pak v SA 2-1 to SA - CLOSE FINISH IN FINAL TEST

Jan 07 -Shoaib fined for spat with Woolmer

Mar 07 Bob Woolmer dies in controversial circumstances

Oct 07 SA v Pak 1-0 to SA

Sep 07 - Shoaib sent home after beating Asif with bat

Dec 07 Pak v Ind 1-0 to Ind

Apr 08 ICC anti corruption question Shaoib re match fixing

Continued Below

What I don't understand is why 5 penalty runs weren't added to Australia's score.

Law 42.3(d) is very clear about what the actions the umpires must take when a player tampers with the ball (as defined by Law 42.3(b)).

The first action they must take is to change the ball. The third action is to award 5 penalty runs to the batting side. The umpires took the first action during the game. They therefore have to take all the others as well. What justification is there for not doing that?

Coontinued from above

Jun 08 Mohammad Asif held in Dubai for drugs possession

Jan 09 Asif was detained in Dubai again for possessing opium

Mar 09 SL v Pak - 0-0

Mar 09 - Sri Lankan team shot at in Pakistan

Aug 09 Pak v SL 2-0 to SL

Dec 09 Pak v NZ 1-1

JAN 09 – INDIANS HUMILIATE PAKISTAN IN IPL

Jan 10 Pak v Aus 3-0 to Aus

31 JAN 2009 AFRIDI EATS A CRICKET BALL

what ever the thinking be, Afridi has no rights to tamper the ball, Pakistani cricketers are making a loud noise for not been selected for IPL3, if this is going to be their attitude, they will find it difficult to play any where.

Very well said...cannot agree more with all your points...pakistan cricket in Australia has been STUPID to say the least. I mean how in the world can you explain yunis inclusion for the 5th odi + khalid latifs inclusion who hasnt played a single match in this whole tour whilst keeping out imran farhat who performed reasonably well recently - pathetic thinking to say the least.

In my view Pakistani cricketers are self detroyers, and they should only blame themselves for the whats happening currently with Pakistan cricket. Shahid Afridi no doubt is one of the most talented player for Pakistan but like many other Pakistan cricketers he does not understand the value and meaning attached to the Paksitani colors.
In my view their biggest problem is that they are all low achievers and content with whatever little they have achieved in the careers. None of Pakistan players have ever tried to become the greatest apart from very few you can count on fingers like Imran, Javed, Wasin and Waqar in the modern times.
In short they are not got thinking minds and their approach is very unprofessional like and lacks commitment, determination and pride. Most of these players are hollow from inside and can not absorbe the pressure and in this modern day and age you can not get away with such an obvious weakness.

Good article mate. No matter what, Shahid's act is immature.

I was expecting another thing which I observed, several times but did not read from any writer/blogger. Throught the series, I noticed that Australian bowlers deliberately stand in the runner's path. Batsmen have to go around the Australian bowlers, even for a quick single or for a second or third run. I think it is one of the strategies in Austraia camp, to 'innocently' bolock the batsmen while they are running between the wickets.

It should have been more stiffer penalty.What he did was matter of shame and disgusthing .He is not above the law.Most controversial man on the Cricket field.He got it what he deserves.He did it purposely

What can you expect from a team which is more concerned about IPL participation rather than playing for the country?

Mind numming!!!! Millions watching, eating the cover off the ball I could understand perhaps if he thought it was a New Cherry, but it beggers belief that any person let alone the Captain of a national side could do such a blatent act in front of a vast audiance.
Like the vast majority of cricket fans I recieve a vast amount of pleasure watching "Boom Boom", but he has these mind explosions at times and it sends a very poor message to a generation of impressionable young cricket fans who idolise players like Afridi.
Give him a boot up the rear, no responsibility on the field and close supervision in the future. Then let it R.I.P., he is a cricket god. True Blue.

Shahid Afridi is a very stupid man! I remember when the gas cyliner blew up in Pakistan and he deliberately damaged the pitch on a length. His captaincy has been really good [attack minded, much more intense than Yousuf] and I thought he had matured as a cricketer but was I wrong? He's be banned for two T20 games. Kind of got away with it! So he misses next T20 game and 1st game of T20 World Cup in April. Obviously he cheated by tampering with ball to gain a unfair advantage by either lifting the seem or roughening up ball on one side [to create reverse swing]. Pakistan cricket is in turmoil. Yousuf has to be given the sack as captain, Younis unlikely to be talked back into the job and now Afridi does this when he was the only obvious choice outstanding. Let's see what the regime change brings about as I was really looking forward to T20 World Cup and long summer in England for Pakistan team. Where do we go from here?

Last think Pakistan cricket team would have liked to happen.Shahid Afridi captain of Pakistan cricket team this time biting the ball. I don't know what had happened to this team but thier is some thing seriously wrong with them. These Paki players are the world most talented players, but at the same time they are the most illiterate athletics also. They don't know how to conduct their carrier,their behavior,attitude,professionalism, most of them belong to poor families and have not seen or played with the amount of money which is available to them now a days, that has infact a negative impact on thier lives. For Afridi doing this at this stage where Pak cricket is at lowest level is some thing like an unforgivable act.Being captain he should have avoided that. Now this is pak cricket board moral responsibility to keep him away from the captaincy coz he simply don't deserve that.
With my ending note i can asure you pak team can become one of thr greatest team if Ijaz Butt stands down.

Afridi you are playing to give pride To Pakistan but you are giving shame and embarrsing Pakistan without realising about the current condition of Pakistan...

"What was Afridi thinking?"

Hes was thinking I don't care if I cheat I have to win the game and keep the captaincy.

If Pakistan keep Afridi as captain all other teams should not play against Pakistan.

Excellent article. As a huge Pak fan I am naturally disappointed. Why afridi did what he did is inexplicable! Younis khan, as you rightly note, needs to come down the order (I'd personally favor giving him another rest from international cricket :))

This sort of behavior should NOT be tolerated. This sets a wrong example to budding cricketers. Afridi is a repeated offender and should be banned for LIFE. This will serve as an example to others. Cricket is a gentleman's game and such incidents mock the spirit of it. How atrocious!

Just explains why IPL , Deccan chargers and others donot really want to deal with a hot potatoe like that

God bless Pakistan, pakitan cricket and the all important pakistan lovers in pakistan ... ... ...

he might have given a word to selectors with winning confidence.

Banned for 2 T20s :-S

What was he thinking ? whole world is fool!!
He deserves that..

Clean sweep 3-0,5-0.Now Pakistani Cricketer and Cricket fan should understand that why IPL rejected them

It is pure politics in Pak team and everyone was playing as an individual excpet this game. It is just another captain change movement within the team which result as a shame for the whole nation. PCB think tank should sit and should come up with a permanent solution of captaincy which result Pakistan a worst ever defeat against Assuies. They (PCB) should react now and make the overhauling of this team instead looking to save their offices.

I hope he didn't just bite off any chance of him being the next Pakistan Captain.

so true... being a pakistan fan this doesnt surprise me at all. we're always told about the talent we posess (really old news)... But the mental stability and maturity of everything pertaining to Pakistan cricket is as frail as ever, i knew theyd lose but i must say a clean sweep in the 1day series only means things have gotten worse, i wish i could say im surprised. Most pakistanis are so used to things like this we're indifferent to what are cricketers do. We expect them to lose every time and when they surprise us (usually along with the rest of the world) we celebrate!!

This is not the first time Afridi has done something on the cricket field.Who can forget his pitch dance in lahore in a test match against England for which he has banned for a couple of matches.
Considerithe fact that he was appointed as a captain the latest incident comes as a shocker.Grow up dude.

Yet another proof that Pakistan team is being led by a person of no ethics. What a shame! If I were Afridi I would quit from cricket in disgrace.

This is absolutely disgusting. This guy represents his nation and was captaning the side. Why only a 2 match ban at this disgusting behavior that has brought the game of cricket such disrepute?

What was Afridi thinkng? Well.....nothing! I wish he thought....
Poor and a pathetic performance by the side. Very uninspiring. Maybe they should be paid according to performance - yes something should be done about the fee structure ....

What afridi did, was grossly wrong and require punishment. However, it does not cast any doubt on his captincy. THere have been incidendts in past where captins and very seasoned players were subject to malpractices. Be it RIcky Ponting, Denis Lilee, Nasir Hussain and there can be a long list.
Shamim

i wonder what afridi was thinking. when you are a captain you ought to be lot more careful. Pakistan once again in the news for worng reasons. i think as an experience cricketer he is not setting a good example.

Excellent article.Covered almost all important aspects of the tour.

Agree a hundred percent with this blog starting from what you had to say about Afridi to how you summed up Pakistan's performance on this tour of promising so much and then letting their fans down miserably in both tests and odis. 'Isn't that oh so Pakistan!' Very true and Afridi should be first person to sum this up in today's match!

Hi, nice article, but keeping the media guidelines in mind, to reflect the impression on the user, I think the heading should have included about the the spectator who crossed lines as well. Just by writing a mere paraghraph doesn't really cut the case, neither do I see any picture to support or an expression like you have used for Afridi such as dumb and dumber for the culprit who ran into Khalid Latif. Moreover, I would've criticized the security set up too that this guy ran onto the field and contact in physical contact with an athlete. To sum it up, as a reader with whatever evidence you have provided, I would be in a mindset inclined more to criticize Afridi as opposed to paying the much needed attention to the spectator incident. As a cricket fan, in no way am I supporting Afridi's actions, but at the same time as a writer you should've used harsher words to admonish the guy who ran in the field as well as saying a few words on the security flaw too.

Hi, nice article, but keeping the media guidelines in mind, to reflect the impression on the user, I think the heading should have included about the the spectator who crossed lines as well. Just by writing a mere paraghraph doesn't really cut the case, neither do I see any picture to support or an expression like you have used for Afridi such as dumb and dumber for the culprit who ran into Khalid Latif. Moreover, I would've criticized the security set up too that this guy ran onto the field and contact in physical contact with an athlete. To sum it up, as a reader with whatever evidence you have provided, I would be in a mindset inclined more to criticize Afridi as opposed to paying the much needed attention to the spectator incident. As a cricket fan, in no way am I supporting Afridi's actions, but at the same time as a writer you should've used harsher words to admonish the guy who ran in the field as well as saying a few words on the security flaw too.

I have never seen such a bizzar acts by a cricketer who is a role model for younger cricket and may also be a future ODI captain . I am his fan but what he did today and also in a test match against England in unacceptable. I feel sad for him. I hope he becomes more responsible for his acts in future .
Future of Pakistan cricket looks dark none of he upcoming player has potential a this level exception Umer Akmal to some extent .
For Afridi, you are our future hope don't disappoint us.

that is the character of paki players. no wonder they were not selected in IPL. tempering ball runs in paki blood especially, if they are in trouble & win is so necessary. it had been proved again & again. start from sarfraz, imran to afridi. they are all crooks & act like street players with dirty cheats. why two 20/20, ban him forever. drop him too. how a captain, leader can perform such that is not an example by any means?
pak govt. made a big issue on drop by IPL. do they have a shame?

Very good points discussed Michael. About that younis khan's part, you were correct that Younis should have played his first match batting at number 5 or 6 to gain some confidence, but you are definitely missing one point.
In champions trophy 2009, Younis decided to play Malik on no. 3, but as soon as Malik was unable to produce results he announced that he would never play up the order (open or at no. 3). This is the main problem with our team right at the moment, that Younis Khan is the only batsman in the squad of 15 to go and play at number 3 willingly. This is the reason why the selectors and the captain is forced to keep younis on the team. And one more point to consider is that with the overly defensive technique of M. Yusuf, they needed an experienced and aggresive captain in the side (Afridi is aggresive sure, but not experienced or he would have been captaining the side on 5th Feb, you know what I mean ;D).

I feel sorry for Pakistani team,, Winning and losing is part of game, I'm with Pakistan but the way Shahid Afridi acts today he deaserve to be out of the team and he should not lead Pakistan anymore in any format of the game..

Afridi is a talented cricketer.He is a good leadership skill.
I dont think he was doing anything wrong.

Ridiculous!
And even more so the ban. 2 T20s! Especially after the England incident, that is most ridiculous. You are almost encouraging him to do it again.
Go on son... bite a chunk out of it, and we won't really punish you.

He should be banned for 20 matches for the blatant audacity with which he did it!

what was that against india when ricky ponting claimed a catch which was infact the ball bounced before him he knew that.

But he doesn't admit and prentding like a child that he didn't know.whcich was clearly caught on camera. He should have felt shame there of commitimg that.
why people these things and start blaming like they the honest and upright.

what was that australian umpire 'fat knucle head' darrel hair doing in england when he claimed the pakistani bowlers was involved in bowl tempering.whcih was absolute rubbish and he even offer pakistan to give him the required money so he will not sue pakistan team.That was typical ausie nature.

don't entice to say otherwise you will not be able show your face to any one.

Afridi is one of the most over-rated cricketer in cricket history. He has no discipline, consistency.
He is not a sensible player. Unfortunately Pakistan's bench strength is so poor for almost a decade that they have to rely on players like Afridi, Salman butt, Younis khan

wht ever happend is nto gud for the game ...and afradi has said sorry for all this

the last year as a pakistan fan has been bad enough. this just makes it worse. can sum1 please tell afridi that he is being watched all over the world, by millions. i know we cant buy a game at the moment but trying to cheat is just sad. hes been caught at it before (england series a few years ago). 2 game ban is a joke, set a example of him and give 1 year at the least. dont get me wrong i like his ability, but what he is doing is just wrong. another sad chapter in pakistan cricket

Watching the one day series, I was of the opinion that for a tour of Australia, there couldnt be a better captain than Afridi. Mainly due to his aggressive attitude to the whole game.

Todays incident however left me completely out of the woods. The Pakistani team do not have a captain. They simply dont have any leadership or any leadership material i any of the players!! There could not have been a better time for the Pakistanis to tour Aus mainly coz both teams are in a rebuilding stage of new teams but the Pak team threw it out away

Wish he gets banned for life!! He is a disgrace to the game!!

Just to talk on one incident - Afridi must be really stupid to do that. It shows what kind of personality he is made up of. And Pak people are supporting him for captain! Huh! Religion save Pak cricket! Afridi needs to grow quick beard to be next captain. Or Younis needs quick beard and lot of begging to get more stints! Very funny!

This Pakistan team australian tour proved that they play only incompetant brand of cricket. And when they do play competative, they forget the spirit of the game.
And very much consistent team in throwing up bad surprises.
I am sorry & have lot of sympathy for pak fans.The passion at which they follow cricket they deserve if not best atleast a better performances. Though it wasnt fair to leave pak players out of ipl but in a way they justified that they dont deserve a place by playing horrible cricket.
Its better to have an incompetant captain who plays honestly than a captain who lacks discipline.I dont see any good happening if an indiscipline guy leading the team who doesnt learn even with responsibality of leading a national team.
Very sad state of affairs.

It may come across as hat mail, but that's not the intent here. The underlying problem Pakistan Cricket is facing has nothing to do with the sport, but everything to do with the culture and the environment they are brought up in. They were never taught how to be professional. The mentality among the players is that Cricket is a sport and not a profession. Unless we get people who can focus on the porfesionalism side of the affairs, not matter what level of taelnt we bring in, it would be in vain.

Human makes a mistakes and Afridi proved that he is human.
In game's good and bad times comes so please my request to all pakistani players , with open mind please just play for Pakistan.

Another heart breaking nightmare for Pak supporters, I dont find the reason why should Yunos Khan on the ODI sqauad? why Afridi every ball try to pull? why not cut or drive? why power play can't take early?

Thanks Umar and Fawad for the positive cricket

I bet that if the spectator-invading-pitch had taken place in India or Pakistan while the Australian team was on the field all hell would have broken loose. This of course was not any terrorist plot but might easily have caused physical harm to Khalid Latif. But with "bitegate" happening in the same match its pretty clear now what the newspapers, atleast the ones in Australia and England, will be screaming about tomorrow. I am in no way condoning Afridi's mind-numbingly stupid actions, but the Khalid Latif incident was disgraceful.

This is shameful and ridiculous action from skipper. That brought bad name to the country and will bring team under strict scruitny in the future. This is not a tactic to win, this is FRAUD & CHEATING.

I cant believe he just got away with a ban for 2 20-20 games....its a blatant violation...shouldn't be allowed to play again at all.

It is amazing or probably not that Afridi gets punished and Broad gets away with it. The spikes would have done more damage than a bit of spit!

brilliant piece Jeh!!

It was truly horrifying to see Afridi actually bite the ball during the game. And what is even more appalling is that people are still making out a case for Afridi to be the future captain. Pakistan's image is pretty low after their recent tour to Australia. Even before they were seen as a team of players who would do anything to win. This scruffy image is what has been re-inforced. The fact that he has pleaded guilty does not make this the right thing to do for a potential captain. Will someone do something in the PCB to sort out not just their cricket but such things?

Afridi and thinking in the same sentence? How long have we been watching him play, and how often can we say that "what a thought out innings from Afridi"?

Well i'm not amused at all.This is not first time Afridi has bought game to disrepute. Remember he was banned for a Test match and two one-day internationals for deliberately damaging the pitch in the second match of the three-Test series against England.

your cameras can see negative actions of asian. But where you were when Chris Broad did that.
You people are always cheaters.

SHAME on the PAKIS YET AGAIN! They really deserve a pat on the back for such consistent bad performance. I hope that the PCB management wakes up and I hope we get rid of the coach and sick old players who are just a burden on the team.

Afridi just made a mess of the dead rubber by adding this disgrace incident.Losing a game is better than winning a game by cheating. I have got the same question Osman ?

WHAT IN THE HELL WAS HE THINKING ?

It is expected from Afridi or any Paki players. They were in the news for every wrong reasons before too. Afridi was ban for pitch tampering, we all know what happened in Lords, Bob Wolmers mysterius death, and also the chucking issues of Shoaib Akhter. I was not surprised, Afridi/Pakis are capable of doing all these unethical things cold bloodedly. It is a disgrace, shame! cricket is a genteleman's game! but look at the way Paki plays it!

pakis done it again....i am not at all surprised..

The reason for the swing is out. Afridi just got caught. This calls for watching pakistani players more closely next time the ball swings too much

Afridi is the best player in the world thats does,nt matter he was on mistake and every people do mistake

While I admire Afridi`s ability, in pure cricketing talent, and the ability to draw viewers, I cannot come close to admiring his influence on young cricket fans the world over. Pakistan, so naturally talented, and constantly under the microscope for misdemeanours, need heros, players that their nation can look up to. Unfortunately, it appears beyond him to be above this. How many chances do you need? Enough said, no more comment. Must be in his make-up?

Except for M. Asif and M. Aamer replace the whole lot with the U-19 squad. Yousuf perhaps has a couple of years left in him but he has to get serious about his cricket and move on from his 'maulvi' phase, starting with his beard.

Michael, Your last paragraph of this blog boldly summed up the sad story of Pakistani cricket; you really hit the nail on their head. Unfortunately this is the sad story of Pakistani cricket. As a Pakistani supporter I am extremely disappointed. Bravo to Australian public who come in thousands till the last ODI to watch and enjoy exciting cricket, but would be disappointed. Pakistan truly lacks a leadership both at management as well as cricket field. Whole set up needs to be changed. Problem starts from top level and funny thing is that President of Pakistan is chief patron of cricket affairs, what improvements one can expect from him go figure.

What doesnt make sense about the Pakistan team, is why they keep on persisting with the same batsmen, the team has always been let down by the batting. These players have had too many chances to prove themselves. (Salman Butt, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Faisal Iqbal, Imran Farhat). Our batting has always let us down and they are not capable of making big runs. How can any team do well when the Bowlers are expected to do the bowling & batting. The batsmen cant even catch or field. The batting of Pakistan is so poor it disheartens all the pakistani fans. The coach doesnt even seem to be doing anything about it apart from put the same old batsmen in again who have not proved themselves in internationla cricket. I just wish that we get a sensible coah who can sort our batting out.

Afridi and thinking - Now thats an oxymoron for you. In fact the explanation he's given would tempt one to use the same word to describe him albeit without the "oxy".

Thank you for being kind to the Pakistani nation in general, but you cant be kind to a cricketer like Afridi for hanging the cumulative pakistani heads in shame yet again. One can take pride in defeat, and noone knows defeat better than this team. Atleast this bunch could have "tried" to be competitive. Selfish is the word that describes the majority of the players taking field for a once proud nation. There is no pride left anywhere...there hasnt been for the last twenty odd years. How can one forget the disgrace brough upon this nation when the stars of world cricket were caught on a beach smoking marijuana in the caribbean ? That was our start of our descent and I dont believe we have hit rock bottom yet. And thats not the sad part. Its the self righteous indignation that we, as a nation, will now claim with references to Broad and Anderson being "let off" because they belong to a white nation. Bring on the delusion and the shame with it. Thats all we deserve.

So for, so bad. Every knew they have lost 5-0 , bur no one believe. In the Test arena 3-0 a bit justfy , though Pakistan have their moments in Tests also, but they are a good One day side. Lack of disciplined, self believe, confidence and poor Captaincy end a drought summer for Pakistan in Australia.
Afridi fiasco is the last thing they don't want. An apology and 2 t twenty matches justify his act.
However it's not end of Pakistan cricket. They are professional and have to play cricket in professional way.They should come hard with pride next time when they would be playing.

A die hearted of Pakistan cricket.
Qamar
Lahore

Shame on the Aussies......did not even feed the Pakistani cricketers properly during the tour....eventually Afridi had to resort to eating the ball.

It comes as no surprise to me. I have never been a huge fan of Afridi. His reckless batting is somehow passed of as his "charm". He has no understanding of match situations. He is on the field usually with his own agenda. Last man to be captain. He has improved his bowling for sure, but he is a liability imo. He wins maybe 1 in 30 matches and spectacularly at that people forgive him. This is the second time. The first time was also equally blatant. The word "cheater" doesn't seem to harsh. Actually, it is a perfect way to round off what has been a horrendous summer for Pakistani cricket. They have looked good in moments. But something drastic is needed i.e. which does not include making Afridi captain.

Afridi always been a cheater, How you going to make him a captain? I think he will set up very bad example therefore I request pak selectors please do not make him captain, he needs to grow up and act mature with his age. He maybe a good hitter of a ball but not a smart thinker.

You dont expect this from a player who has played more than 300 international matches. I think it was excitement who caught over him and he might not be knowing what he was doing. This incident has raised many question on Afridi's role as a captain or even as a player

Ball-tampering should be legal.If a batsman cannot play a swinging or spinning ball,that's his bad luck. Bowlers should have some advantages in flat or dry wickets.

Pakistan should resign from ICC and regroup itself for year or so and apply for admission again. They do not deserve to be part of ICC at the moment. Afridi's incident did not help either. Even though, it is going to hurt Pak cricket, PCB should ban him for at least one year and not offer him skipper position in any format.

The Afridi act today is a final nail on the coffin of pakistan cricket. Endless defeats, inhouse fights and groupings, on field performances, a toothless administration and a selection committee on Wasim Bari lines who always likes to keep things on status quo, all this is destroying the game in Pakistan. And this happen to be at the top of a situation where home series are gone and not on way back any time soon. Corrupt politians run our cricket and they are inactive just as they are inactive in solving all other problems or resolving billions of dollars deficits in state owned other organisations. Interest for the game was already on decline and haterd towards those running it is taking over. Afridi should not be made captain after this cheat and should be punished by PCB very sverely. We are already bracketed as a corrupt nation and corrupt players, we do not want more of this. NO way. 2 match ban is not enough at all. kick him out or hang him. I am so much ashamed and frustrated

Oh yes indeed. Welcome to Pakistan.Unfortunately this is how we roll. Bujt what I don't understand is why you people are getting angry at tat tackle. The guy was just trying to suggest that we give up cricket and take up rugby. Tsk tsk tsk, good deeds go unnoticed these days, these are the times tat are upon us. Also, can't wait to see Afridi in the World Hod Dog eating championship,once again the pathan shall light up the international arena

What a great world beater team they are, WOW !!! I guess that Sharuk Khan should pick them all to play for his team.

Very Bad from Pakistani player especially a team leader

May be he went too far in his "Hunger" for winning.. ;)

Afridi was caught and plead guilty to tampering the ball. He has been caught before tampering the pitch in England. The guy's explanation is that all teams tamper the cricket ball. After all this, he gets a two match ban, that too twenty20s. The ICC is a joke, and the match referees are proving time and again that they belong to the Russian Circus, not a Cricket game

Need i say this....It was Inshallah... Allah commanded him to do that....how else can we explain it..

YEAH....this is so very pakistani !! He does 3 good things but goofs up the fourth. But Afridi's performance outweighs his ball tampering trick..The guy deserves a change and a good time at it captaining the side.

afridi should thank his lucky stars. it could have been much worse!
anyway back to the real world.
it is imperative that we get rid of intikhab asap.to have an over-age coach is a disaster. have all the younger ones vanished from the face of the earth? how can a 68 yr old chap infuse enthusiasm into this team?
the irony is that afridi seems to be the only one who has inspired the team to display some positive aggression. iqbal qasim has shown that common sense still prevails and it is about time others follow suit.
i still believe the enormous amount of talent in pak cricket will make it a force to reckon with.

Punish Afridi severly:
Shahid Afridi who has been just banned for 2 Twenty20 matches for ball tampering should have been penalized severely.
Should have been atleast 3 months ban and a penalty of match fee for the entire ODI series.

You dont expect this from a player who has played more than 300 international matches. I think it was excitement who caught over him and he might not be knowing what he was doing. This incident has raised many question on Afridi's role as a captain or even as a player

this is hamid samar form afghanistan in our country evry body love afirdi but one he geting out it is too difficult to watch TV if it passabel afridi is very goog one day and T20 captin plz we love him do samething T20 he should come back

YEAH....this is so very pakistani !! He does 3 good things but goofs up the fourth. But Afridi's performance outweighs his ball tampering trick..The guy deserves a change and a good time at it captaining the side.

I cannot understand why Afridi would do something so idiotic,dumb and frankly so low!No amount of desparation should compel you to do something like this. What was he thinking, he knows there are cameras pointed at him and still!!This was in line with how he bats,ive always thought that he bats very irresponsibly, not considering the circumstances all most all the time. He definitely is captaincy material, with naturally attacking instincts, but there should be someone with half a brain on the field as his vice captain to restrain him from this dark, dumb tendencies of his.I think most would pass him for the captaincy based on this act of stupidity, but Pakistan cricket is really short on captaincy options these days.

Pakistani official should protest against ICC as they did in England. This is too much. Whenever any player doing extra ordaniary any where in England & Australia they trap him with the help of ICC. ICC should stop doing that type of drama.

In Pakistan, there is a Khan in almost every joke. Now I know why.

I think he took the pressure and did this stupid thing.

Well, Afridi might have got his just desserts, but what happened when the Stuart Broad and James Anderson did pretty much the same thing. Is biting much worse than stepping on the ball or fiddling and removing loose parts of the ball?

I wonder how ICC would justify actions. Wasn't Ranjan Madugalle the Match Referee in that England-South Africa game as well?

In that view, I'd say poor Afridi got the short end of the stick!

Shame on double standards.

Ball tempering is not an old case it has been done my many players on several occasions in the past and in recent times.I think ball tempering should be given some official support by icc governing body to make it a perfect rule.

Well, Afridi might have got his just desserts, but what happened when the Stuart Broad and James Anderson did pretty much the same thing. Is biting much worse than stepping on the ball or fiddling and removing loose parts of the ball?

I wonder how ICC would justify actions. Wasn't Ranjan Madugalle the Match Referee in that England-South Africa game as well?

In that view, I'd say poor Afridi got the short end of the stick!

Shame on double standards.

I agree with you about Afridi's stupidity.Ay least he has owned up.I recall Broad using other tactics for the same purpose and having the captain's backing...and getting away with it. Sad

Maybe Afridi got what he deserved, but why does Broad Jr. get away scot free. All are born equal but some are more eaqual than others. Of course Greig and company will say that India is using its money power. Will Greig esq. let us know which part of the world has been using money (and muscle)power since time immemorial.I don't want anybody to use any kind of power, but we have learnt to use it from a certain part of the world from where Grieg and his ancestors come from.

Once someone dont feel his duty performance goes down. What I understand, this team don't have any moral character. They seems just money makers and dont respect country's pride. In my opinion all seniors should be removed and chance to be given to new blood. Religion inject calm in your blood and Yousuf being a noble person cant boil his blood to complete. While competing with India these players take it religious pride and perform well and rarely perform well against others.
Other problem with Pakistani's, is,once someone does good he becomes arrogant which affects their personality and game.To restructure Pakistani cricket, I think they should adopt Points for Performance method. Someone drops catch loses 10% of his fee. Batsman going without score, loses 10%. Cant score 50 in 2 innings-loses 25%. Lost run out opportunity-lose 25%. Tamper with ball-out of the team (tempered country's pride) Lost stumps chance-lose 20% and so on.Once these players loses money they will perform well.

This Pakistan side was just disgraceful to all of Pakistani crickets achievements so far. I believe the first person to have stepped down should have been the COACH. He has done nothing to prevent anything, it seemed he just did not exist, specially Mohammad Yousaf's naive captaining where he seemed to know nothing of how to lead a side. He lacked big time in timely decision making and also reading the demand of the situation on op-teen occasions and the result is in frontofus.

I think Afridi was just out of his mind, cant imagine anything like this in any sports these days with extensive media coverage and cams all over the place.He thought maybe, his is in a domestic match or some club level game, where you can get away with these non-senses. No doubt about his talent and the way he motivated the players in 2nd innings but what was that, kinda apple bitting stuff, just pathatic.

There is no better way to explain this but "stupidity" albeit from sheer desparation to land atleast a singleton victory against Australia in this tough tour

Afridi takes his captaincy seriously and he wants to win - the incident is regretful but Mike Atherton was much more "cerebral" with his dirt in the pocket incident and remained unscathed for the most part.

This act of desparation has sent shock waves back to Pakistan where the cheif selector resigned (citing an unwinning outfit sent to Australia)

I cannot stress this enough, Afridi has shown from his galvanizing qualities as a captain that he can rally even the poorest of the outfits that Pakistan has put on the field for a long time and he should return after his 2 match ban as the captain in all 3 forms of the game (assuming he will have agreed to play test match cricket. Hopefully he will have at his disposal a winning combination since we cannot have him repeat this stupidity anymore.

Faraz,
Toronto, CANADA

That was desperation from Afridi. Pakistan today for the first time looked close to beating Australia. Afridi bowled brilliantly today and Pakistan were sharp in the field showing great intent to pull one back. They looked a unit under Afridi's leadership however their efforts have been marred by this controversial incident. I hope the ban will be a lesson and Afridi will move on and keep contributing to Pakistan with bat and ball.

Apparently, he was thinking NOT (at that time, in the heat of the moment)! What else would you expect from an impulsive cricketer? Afridi is a record setter of all kinds, you know. His flair for the game far outweighs his flaws. This should not diminish him as a leader; leaders are humans too and make mistakes...remember Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky!

I wonder, why were england players not punished for ball tempering? The rules are always strict when it comes to Pakistani players.

After the ball temporing,disgraceful Shahid Afridi should have been banned for at least one year from all forms of cricket. He has upset all his fans & made them angry.

I think Afridi got away lighly. Ball tampering is a serious issue, I would have expected a five match ban atleast. Shouldnt that Umpire be banned as well, all cricket grounds should be made a no-smoking area by the ICC.

A two match ban? This just shows how weak the ICC are. And why was there no 5 run penalty as stated in the Laws? Are these people making the rules up as they go along?

pakistan's performance was disgusting. afridi's incident of ball tempering is a shame and it shows his stupidity. i think it's the time for pakistan cricket to shake the things up. the only person who can handle the team's captaincy is shoaib malik. one major fact to loss was absence of players like razzaq, imran nazir, shoaib akhtar,mohammad aamer. and also the failure of the opening pair
most suitable pair should be of umar akmal and imran nazar

I hope some comesense or sense pervail his brain since there Nation is in turmoil and their sports is also now they have gone to extent to eat the ball i guess he must be cricket ball eater that is the biggest Joke.

Hey, I just can't agree more. I guess except for the period when Imran Khan was captain in recent times Pakistan team lacked discipline, leadership and unity.

Unfortunately everything G. Boycott said about Afridy is painfully true. He is just a dumb and selfish cricketer. Why is he still in the team is beyond any explanation. HE does not want to play test matches, but he seeks glory nevertheless in teh shorter formats. Mohammad Yousuf, Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan are not too far from Afridi either. They are all egotistical (okay most Pakistanis cricketers are) and they don't seem to care if the team suffers in the bargain. The quicker the Pakistani selectors dump these guys the better. The fear that i have however, is that these same fellas will soon enough show up as selectors or in prominent positions in Pakistan.

Pakistan team will fight bak to glory..

Well, I'd expect no less from the ICC than their usual response to Pakistan being caught cheating yet again;

Suspend the umpire, do your best to ruin his career and declare the match a dead rubber.

Finally he joins the elite club of ball tampers: wasim , waqar, tendulkar, rahul dravid and now mr khan, may be it was just a boom boom hunger bite.

Afridi had no interest in Australia series. All he was interested in was IPL. The way he played throughout series was that he has no interest in win, he just wants to show IPL that he deserve a place.

there have been incidents in the past aswell with other players who have been involved in such matters So i think we should not make fuss about it. The icc has punished him for two matches which is fine. He has a lot potential as a leader and no doubt he is sensational in the ground. I would like to see Mr afridi in the future mathces after he has served his ban for 2 t20s.

the caption itself is wrong ;-) .
Afridi may be a good cricketer ( especially in 20-20 matches ). And may be you don't need great brains to be a great 20-20 player... the following words can't be together. Afridi and "Thinking" ???!!!

Yes, we all saw what Afridi did. Being a follower of cricket in the Indian subcontinent, I feel Afridi has done great injustice to us and to the great exponents of reverse swing bowling greats of of the past. Now the tag of "Cheats" is firmly tagged to Pakistani cricket till the day reverse swing exists - and there will be no denying this.

There should be no shame in losing a game to a better team. What was shameful was that Afridi resorted to ball tampering to win which otherwise he thought was beyond his team.For heaven's sake he was the captain of the team.
What baffles me of Pakistan cricket no end is how such a crazy guy finds his way into an international side and even gets to lead the side. He has has put a great cricketing country renowned for its fast bowlers to shame. A lot of this blame has to be taken by the selectors and the administrators of Pakistan cricket for having tolerated him and his antics for such a long time that too despite below average performances.

What an example he is setting as a captain. I have always believed that Shahid Afridi is a very talented player who does not use his brain for whatever reason and he has proved me correct one more time.

Bad! Bad!! Bad!!!. Team Pakistan should have strong and aggressive captain. Like Ganguly and Dhoni. They also must have some solid and mature Batsman. Mohammad Yousuf, very much pious, should be more agrassive and confidence. Other players also should be .... Playing in field is very tough, against AUSTRALIA very very tough, but there should be minimum defence. Pakistan need another Imran Khan, Javed Miandad. Wish best for Pakistan team

Afridi knows how to play big shots, but that doesn't make him a good cricketer in the game's true sense. He had too much to say during IPL which was uncalled for. No other Pak player had so much anger and hatred as he did for India. It is good that he doesn't play test cricket, as it only meant for true cricketers who become great or walk down the path with great ones. He does not belong there. Afridi is hampering the cordial nature of the game on and off the field. It is difficult for him to accept defeat or rejection and that brings out the worst in him. He should consult some good doctor/psychiatrist in Pakistan, hope that doc is good enough too. IPL did good to not buy him, as it is a very professional arena and nobody needs embarrassment. Let's just enjoy the game and be friends.

We all understand the players frustration of not winning a single game, but this does not mean that one bites the cricket ball on the field inspite of all cameras. 2 match ban is not enough and Mr. Afridi should play severe penalty for this.Few days before when pak palyers were not selected for IPL, there was a comment on sportsman spirit, We all know now who requires it more....

Paki was loosing & i think he too lost it and did Tampering. 5-0 WhiteWash :-(

This was undoubtedly a very senseless act by the captain of the Pakistan team. Even if, according to him, other persons do it, the fact that he knows that it's an illegal act and will carry disciplinary action if caught by the authorities, he should never have done it. And more so the biting of the ball was clear to see by those persons like me viewing the match on TV. Afridi is my favourite player on the Pakistan team but it would be in order if those in charge of Pakistan cricket impose further disciplinary action on Afridi, especially with him being the captain.

i really feel embarased to see pakistani team torn into pieces like this .. on top of that afridis stupidity makes every pakistani shameful . this will continue to happen untill the whole structure of pcb is changed..

well i just heard shahid talking to Geo News. i got shocked when he said "SO WHAT" all others teams do the same thing. well well all i can say, its because our players come to international cricket without even completing High school. what else you can expect from them.
those old days have gone when we have highly educated players like Majid Khan, Javed Burki, Imran Khan Abdul hafeez kardar etc.
There is no excuse, he should be banned for ever.

Are you insane? "Trying to win a game", come on you are kidding right? This is how you win series after series and try to prove your dominance over other team? Lets go for drug test if you and your team mates have no problem?

Wexactly what was he thinking? Humiliation of defeats wasnt enough? This is total disgrace to Pakistan and pakistan cricket.My suggestion is to kick out ll these losers specially so called senior players.Give chance to junior players and build from sctracth. This is so shameful to see our team lose like this and on top this ball tampering. As an ardent fan of cricket I demand resignation of selection committee as as well as board chairman.

Well, If you don't have an education and on the top you r stupid and ignorant this things happened. I wish he could have penalized more then that.

It's nothing short of funny. I think Shahid Afridi has run out of money, and someone from the IPL needs to buy him. The poor guy has to do with eating cricket balls.

I just could not contiue to watch after loss of 3
careless batting wickets.This morning shocking to see Afridi action of ball bitting news . I do not think he reliazes millions of people were very disapponited by his action & its going to haunt him for rest of his life.

Good job Afridi! This will help you earn respect especially from your team mates. First they deprive fans of quality cricket in Aus and now this embarrassment. I agree with Kamran, what were you thinking??

now or never is the time to clear up the team and pcb management ,otherwise we gonna get more white wash like that again and again

Irrespective of Shahid Afridi's ball-tampering incidence at the WACA on final 5th ODI, the Pakistan team should really introspect themselves on their performance in both Test cricket and ODI-50 overs game. It's pretty obvious they were playing as individuals and not as a team. Same can't be said about the Aussies. Mohammad Yousuf, in the name of decency, should step down from the Pakistan side and finish his cricketing career-his performance as a player/batman in Test matches was below par, and that as a player/skipper was more questionable. Younis Khan is an equally incapable/incompetent skipper. He is more of a ODI player than a test player. The fact of the matter he is incapable of leading a ODI sode either. His inclusion should be as a player/batman-subject to review based on his performance. Kamran Akmal should be dropped and Sarfraz Ahmed should be trained vigorously. Umar should be included so long as there is no nepotism. Mohammad Asif,Ammer,Umar Gul should be in. Rest are crap

I think what afridi has done is utterly disgraceful n stupid.He has brought the country and us,as a nation,a bad name. i dont know what he was trying to do!!! there,i think he should be banned by pakistan cricket board for at least couple of years

Good summary! Afridi's tactics and energy is a must needed change that is needed. I do not think Pakistani batsmen will ever get better unless the system back home changes. Talent is wasted and will be wasted with no direction and lack of right people at the top. Funny, sad, intriguing, foolish and sometimes very close are the words to define Pakitan's performance on this tour. Major overhaul needed. Full marks to Australia as was their ruthlessness complemented by a much different onfield behavior - was a refreshing experience for a Pakistani fan. Younis, doesn't deserve to be an ODI player, we need somebody to give Pakistan good starts otehrwise Umar Akmal's talents can be easily wasted and we definitely do not want to see him changing the way he plays. Afridi's intentions and WILL to Win is commendable but as he is I think this will be a good lesson for him - no doubt we need a captian with a hunger as his to make Pakistani get a touch better!

What Afridi did was unacceptable and should have been punished. Granted. BUT would someone please explain why Stuart Broad and other English bowlers were not punished for intentionally stepping on the ball in regular intervals in the test match against South Africa? Like Michael Vaughn said-if it was Pakistan, there would have been a lot of hue and cry. Why weren't the english punished? Why does the ICC have such a discriminatory attitude towards the Pakistani cricketers?

what a stupid guy, He thinks he knows everything.
Whole team is like that, no one should play with these people. They always cry in Cricket. Leran Learn Leran you STUPIDS.

ITS REALLY HURTS THAT AFRIDI DID THIS I NEVER EXPECT THIS FROM HIM

ITS REALLY HURTS THAT AFRIDI DID THIS I NEVER EXPECT THIS FROM HIM

I think that's intentionally done by afridi because I don't think that he is such a fool to do such act. The reason I can see is that pakistan has been white washed in both forms of the game and people of pakistan have been devastated by these loses. In such circumstances, he didn't wanted to lose the t-20 game as captain and come under the criticism of already fired-up pakistani people. So, this act of ball tampering is a deliberate act finding the escape route and getting sympathy of fans. Ultimately, he will return as captain of Pakistan in all forms of the game. God knows better!!

Being an Indian and following Pakistan cricket for quite a few years, I don't understand why people want Afridi to captain Pakistan. After being around for more than 12 years he still hasn't got the right mindset to take on the responsibility and be a leader. This is the 2nd time now that Afridi has been involved in such a thing. Last time he was pleaded guilty of tampering the pitch and now it's the ball. Surely he is not captaincy material as he has no control over his mind.

I am embarassed to be a pakistani. When will we come to our senses as a Nation. Starting from the country's President down to this stupid cricket team, we are a bunch of criminals. I am sorry and very sad to see my Lovely country go to dogs.

I witnessed Afridi's ball gnawning incident on the evening news and it would be an understatement to say that I was shocked! The questions of intention or innocence aside, I think this incident is emblematic of the frustration that has creeped into the Pakistan ranks. There is a lack of individual responsibility; lack of the remotest semblance of any leadership or guidance from the seniors; and rampant whimsicality both on and off the field (I am of course referring to the randon unthought through changes to the batting line up and the statements from the PCB officials in Pakistan). Afridi today was the "face" of the frustration that results from this. As a fellow Pakistan I am ashamed but also somewhat bemused by Afridi's ball gnawing display. Of course it would have been less amusing (but not less shameful) had it been done by someone less temperamental and without a beard! Boom Boom Afridi - you again forgot to properly time the ball.

Afridi has humilated Pakistan today.Regardless of
how much we adore him,I wonder if the Pakistani public will forgive him.He should get his head examined.

wht he did is rong....but not to forget all big players do that...!! so hats of to afridi that he admits his mistake.....!!
jiyeeee pakistan...!

afridi don't rush u will be caption for pakistan.so wait fir the right time,don't loose ur reputation & don't make embrassed to ur friend & ur nation.if u r muslim keep faith in allah.so we don't want any remark or stupid act from player like u.

If Afridi WAS thinking then it's blatant cheating. I wonder if Boom Boom was playing during that infamous forfeited Test Match against England? Maybe Darrell Hair was right after all?

no wonder why his not palying ipl, big mouth can bite ball.

In fairness to Afridi, at least his media comments redeem him slightly. No excuses, just a frank admission that he was desperate to win a game and it the wrong thing to do. Full credit to him for not trying to come up with an excuse that only made things worse. I'm not sure what sort of chain reaction he'll start from other countries about his comment that all the other teams do it too but we'll wait to see inevitable howls of protest that emanate from around the world. I don't know enough about what happens on the field in international cricket so I can't say whether Afridi is right or wrong with that accusation. I reckon this can of worms has onbly just been opened!

In cricket everyone does something that is wrong. At times most oftenly playing with AUS, Pakistan always get caught. Its not like AUS never does something wrong. When perfection is define = it actually means being blind folded to believe regardless of anything that's AUS but what goes inside its hard to catch. Pakistan players are great talented n can be unprofessional at times, well take India n AUS for example best team in the world but yet something is always wrong because they keep it inside. Pakistan on other hand can let loose of what is happening out their on the pitch. I dont blame Afradi I blame PCB for what happen in the 5th ODI between Pak v.s AUS. Sorry guys who disagree with me, I dont really care what you think, my thinking is right "everyone does something wrong, at times you get away with it n then at times you are caught"...

In cricket everyone does something that is wrong. At times most oftenly playing with AUS, Pakistan always get caught. Its not like AUS never does something wrong. When perfection is define = it actually means being blind folded to believe regardless of anything that's AUS but what goes inside its hard to catch. Pakistan players are great talented n can be unprofessional at times, well take India n AUS for example best team in the world but yet something is always wrong because they keep it inside. Pakistan on other hand can let loose of what is happening out their on the pitch. I dont blame Afradi I blame PCB for what happen in the 5th ODI between Pak v.s AUS. Sorry guys who disagree with me, I dont really care what you think, my thinking is right "everyone does something wrong, at times you get away with it n then at times you are caught"...

I agree with whatever was said in this blog. Afridi is clearly a more aggressive leader of the team, but time and again he has done things of similar nature as he did in Perth. he should know better than that. There is no lack of latent in Pakistan team , and they deserved better than what they performed. Yousuf has clearly shown a total lack of leadership. Younus is confused and quick to change his decisions.He can not take any criticism. Shoib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Asif, Umar Gul, Ajmal, Kaneria, Misbah and Razzak do not have a permanent place in the team. Umar Akmal and Aamer are the true finds for Pakistan but too new. too young to lead the side. The seniors in team will not co-operate. My suggestion is to rest the side for 3 months, get rid of Inthikhab Alam, and Ijaz Butt. Promote the under 19 team to Sebior level for 3 months and the re-assess the situation. The senior team needs TPN ( total parenteral nutrition ) for a few months and Psychotherapy.

Afridi's statement that every team does it is laughable and is a pathetic excuse. Cheating is in Pakistan's blood. Match fixing, ball tempering (this is not the first time)etc. Pakistan has and had many skilled players. The presnt generation lacks dicipline. Instead of cheating if they spent their time in working as team, improving their fielding harnessing their skills they could once again become world champions.

as a pakistani we stronglly disappointed the action afridi did with the ball temring but we also stronglly condemned the dual policy of icc when england player broad caught red handed temer with the ball with his boots against recent tour of south africa and no action has been taked against broad
the icc should take take the action against broad also the difference in between shahid afridi and broad ball temparing if afridi did it with hands and broad did it with his feets
they both the same crime and how come one shud get punished and other should survive on the basis of colours as broad is a white guy and afridi is black
in the past so many examples there a white players escape the punishment like ricky ponting glem mcgra adam gilcrist from australia and also black players get punshid with the same fence why this difference?
icc totall failed to control the rasicim in cricket and now cricket is white players game we stronglly condemnd this rasicit role of icc in cricket

I m a huge afridi fan. and am all for him being captain. But what i saw him do yesterday, i was just flabergasted. I was shocked at how stupid he really can be, which does go to beg the question if he really is captain material. That being said he really did captain the side very well up till that point. I loved the fight our players were showing, they were looking very positive to the end.

The country is messed up, how can you expect the cricket players, selectors, the entire organisation are going to be noble. ALLAH HELP US

An abject apology from tyhe ICC is now due to Darrel Hair.

Normally by the time I get into my office and read cricinfo, each article has at least 100 comments. Usually from Indian/Pakistani fans (probably the time difference).

Today... not one comment....

Why the silence?
C'mon pakistani's... defend him..
why not play the "racism" card or something...??

So Afridi has been caught cheating...AGAIN!

(Remmember when he scuffed up the pitch in the game against England?)

Somehow, the Pakistani public will conviniently forget this and continue their fascination with this stupid man.

in 300 one dayers, what has he actually done?
NOTHING.

Overrated player. Cheat. Dump him.

Afridi was banned for two matches however what did Anderson and Broad get fir what they did in South Africa? There is quite a difference between what spikes can do and what teeth can do to a cricket ball. Jeh, it would have been better if you had written this after the punishment was announced. I am not defending Afridi, I am only highlighting that every team tempers with the ball. Anybody who has played grade cricket knows what sugary lollies, sun block, vaseline, hair cream, and in certain cases zinc does to cricket ball.

On another note, imagine a Pakistani supporter running on to the field, even in places like Australia, Dubai, or England and tackling an Australian cricketer. Would we get the same reaction? Would the media treat it just like they have treated this incident?

So why does afridi get punished but stuart broad get away with what he did in the recent test series against south africa.it seems there is one rule for the pakistanis and the other for the other teams.what afridi did was stupid 2 games not enough he should be suspended for a year.he should be stripped off his captaincy

I think he has prove to be a pathetic pathan with no brain cell...pakistan had a shameful defeat he had more to it by ball tampering like he is eating a apple

Good job Afridi! This will help you earn respect especially from your team mates. First they deprive fans of quality cricket in Aus and now this embarrassment. I agree with Kamran, what were you thinking??

I dont know why Micheal Jeh is saying what Afridi will say, well i say shame on you Michael Jeh you stinking fool, Afridi pleaded guilty with honour, we all make mistakes but only good people admit their mistakes and Afridi is a good guy, also you say the incident off a man wrestling khalid latif to the floor was the second most stupid thing that happened in this match, i say if were handing out prizes for stupidity then Michael Jays above article deserves 1st place, how can
Afridis ball tampering (which he is sorry for) be
more stupid then a crazy guy attacking and abusing an international cricketer, Afridis ball tampering didnt hurt anyone and at worst it would have been a win for pakistan via ball tampering, at worst Khalid latif could have seriously hurt himself with potential head injuries when he hit the ground, CRICINFO should take Michael Jehs comments and flush them down the toilet along with the racist ICC who think they own cricket

He tampered with the ball, damn right, but who doesn't?

Broad and Anderson tampered with the ball down in South Africa, was there a huge issue about it?

Afridi is as stupid as they come. But the 2 match ban on him is even more stupid. In England during a test, he tried to scruff up the pitch and was instantly caught on camera and by the batsmen. And now this brazen act. He should be suspended for 3-6 months at least. Such behavior from a senior cricketer and a captain is simply unacceptable. Its time these bad boys are taught a lesson. The two insignificant match ban is more that what Dhoni got for slow over rate in terms of importance. Ridiculous!!!!

My earnest hope, being a fan of Pakistan cricket, but one not swayed by the jubilance of victory (more concerned about consistent performance) is that Afridi serves his ban and learns his lesson. Men on the cricket field have always needed an inspiring captain to lead them forward - the game is full of so many factors and intrigue that can affect the result, only a pure focus on victory, inspired by a captain who leads from the front, can lead a team to be world class beaters. The warriors of old, Imran and Wasim, had it and in many ways so does Shahid. He just needs to choose hors d'ouerves "sans" the Kookabarra cricket ball...

This is really stupid and shame for Pakistan captain also. I am very big fan of him this is unacceptable only pakis player can do this no one else they should ashame on theirselves. May Allah give them some brain to use.

very well said..What Afridi has done was just not fair and he truly deserved the Ban :thumb: But may i know why the hell that Not a single Article has been discussed about Stuart Broad when he tried to be too smart in the recent Test series against South Africa. Donno why its only the Asian players always getting the treatment!!!

Really, what was he thinking. With all the technology and stuff, was he still thinking he would get away with it. I never thought he was a saint, but I did think he was smart, or I was just wrong. A desperate, dumb act. Pity he won't play in T-20, this was the only chance for Pakistan to save some pride(however little though).

The tackle was totally out of order. I hope the judge throws the book at him. And the biting of the ball ? Did he not have enough lunch ?

The tackle was totally out of order. I hope the judge throws the book at him. And the biting of the ball ? Did he not have enough lunch ?

When asked why you're not consistent. Afridi replied " My sixes and four are not going to help me in my after life" Here is a religious person for you, no surprise there, religious people often are consistent with their hypocrisy. What a shame for all that he represent. By the way he is one of my favorite cricketers. In history of Islam the most abused is Quran. Mr Afridi don't speak religion and please keep your eyes on your deeds if you can't focus on cricket.

These players come from our society and PCB has never done any good for cricket, I won't go into details and maybe I don't have to but neither did Islamabad any good for the country. This incident has a deeper roots, where should I start, or may be I shouldn't.

should be banned from cricket

Ban Pakistan from the game.... Their country is not fit to host international matches (we all know what happened the last time an international team went there) and they have a long history of cheating (whether its ball tampering or match fixing).... They are a disgrace to the game...

Ban Pakistan from the game.... Their country is not fit to host international matches (we all know what happened the last time an international team went there) and they have a long history of cheating (whether its ball tampering or match fixing).... They are a disgrace to the game...

I think Afridi has been known to create issues in the team, He should never been skipper in this game to begain with. Why did not Mahommed Yusuf play in last game any one thought of that? Again Afridi at his best, never the less in any case i think Shoiab Malik should have been the responsible or Yunis Khan or even Rana Naved. Afridi just wants to be in picture at any cost. So the over all picutre of Pakistan is number of skippers came and gone in short time, divided team, coaching and management staff with number of issues, selection committie changed number of time in short time, (mind you no selection head right now since one just left the post) Board with bunch of issues, forget about winning the serise but not even a game won in recent. And all the focus is on why no one took any of their players for IPL? Afridi just added this one more thing just make things easier for every one to see pakistani team can really screw things up if they want to...

Afridi's action was dirty and another disgrace for Pakistan.... he should have been given much harsher punishment.... I felt sorry for his team-mates.

that crowd incident... and your analogy with soccer.. i cant image the uproar if that happened in the subcontinent and the player involved was not from there..

give him 2year ban

apart from that Afridi is the most talented in pakistan at the moment. And I think these younis khan, Sulman Butt, Muhammand Yousaf,These guy needs to go with respect. Because Paskistani team is depending on them, and they don't far from that, so they should axed, Plus they should bring imran nazir,Hasan raza,abdull razak and naser jamshed back. Because they have got much more talent then these odd ones. Afridi should open with imran nazir,fawad alam,umar akmal,nasir jamshed,kamran akmal, and all the others.

mein theri ase ki thesi. thu kehl ke dakha na. wada thu angrez dispicable aya hein. chal nikal.

Somebody got his lunch mixed up and he thought it was an apple.

Afridi's behaviour is ref;ective of the state of Pakistan and it's incompetent board. What will it take for Ijaz Butt to be sacked? I'd reckon the change of entire governement...what a shame!

It is not the first time he did something this stupid. For every stupidity he has only one excuse, "I am a Pathan". Well Younis Khan, Umar Gul, Yasir Hameed are all Pathans from tribal areas, they are yet to do something stupid of this magnitude.

Afridi always breaks your heart when you start dreaming. Just when you thought you found a dream captain, he had to do this.

The entire nation is a bunch of cheats. Why am I not surprised?

While Afridi is the last person on earth who would feel bad for such an adventure, it is highly disgusting to see that no one from Pakistani administration has said anything in this regard. Also if say the Latif incident had happened on any of the Indian, Sri Lankan or Pakistani grounds and if the player there was from a place away from the subcontinent, then god alone knows what a national calamity it would have been. So to World Cricket have uniform rules for every ground or just shut the crap up. And to Pakistani cricketers and administrator, you need to value your fans more, you have disappointed them and you deserve no appreciation.

While Afridi is the last person on earth who would feel bad for such an adventure, it is highly disgusting to see that no one from Pakistani administration has said anything in this regard. Also if say the Latif incident had happened on any of the Indian, Sri Lankan or Pakistani grounds and if the player there was from a place away from the subcontinent, then god alone knows what a national calamity it would have been. So to World Cricket have uniform rules for every ground or just shut the crap up. And to Pakistani cricketers and administrator, you need to value your fans more, you have disappointed them and you deserve no appreciation.

All these years we Pakistanis had lived to bear with the racial slur of PAKI CHEATS. After watching Afridi tamper with the ball, I have all but given up on Pakistan Cricket. We accuse India of isolating Pakistani cricket but the real fact is that we are our worst enemies. Afridi should be permanently banned from playing cricket for Pakistan if justice and fair play holds any value in the PCB hierarchy.

Boom boom WHAT!!!

come on, with Shahid Afridi's immense experience I cannot believe he bit the ball. Ball tampering is such a sensitive issue in the game of cricket. As I write this comment, I have just read that he will be banned for two T20's. Is that enough to send a message that this unruly behaviour is unnacceptable?

Intikhab Alam, the Pakistan coach, said: "It's unacceptable. It shouldn't have happened but it happened and I feel sorry for him. Being a captain you should be above everything but unfortunately it's happened." Pardon? He feels sorry for him?? Does this sum up Pakistan's problems? What would Intikhab be saying if Ponting decided to make a meal of the ball?

I actually thought he was sucking the ball when I first saw that. If it actually were the case the tabloids would have a field day. Surely everyone knows what ball tampering is?

After his twist on the wicket a few years back to rough the surface, this is the second time he has done it again. Only this time he was trying to eat the white cherry. What a Shame to the Pakistani public and the game of cricket. He has let his team mates down. PCB should never nominate him as a captain in any form of cricket. He is certainly not a role model for young cricketers and youth. SHAME ON YOU AFRIDI. How many more times you have done this in your career when you didn't get caught on the camera or by the game officials?

when iqbal qasim spoke about major surgery needed for the team.Is he talking about brain transplant.please keep Afridi on priority list.

We done and well thought article Michael Jeh, something I have put through to other blogs and posts but the writters due to some nationalism did not put my post in inspide knowing that everything I said was right.... I have lived in Pakistan for 9 yrs, not from Pak...I found Pakistan crkt team most probably the most talented team in the world, but they never play to their potential mostly for match fixing, grouping inside the team and personal ego...and yes at times they are not good enough on that day for the opsite team... By Nature Pakis will do anyhthng for money and no one knws this better than us...I and my family were die hard fans of pak crkt, but not anymore...They have their own unique ways of disappointing and betraying their fans as they never play for their fans nor country, but they play for their own ego that's why they never think of the consequecenes of their actions, never even caring that they represent a Nation and a continent not their familes when playing crkt...

feel very shaem full has pakistani and has a sports man but i just pray GOD bless pakistan cricket team

Michael, just read your blog for the first time. Good stuff. I couldn't believe my eyes last night when I witnessed Afridi gnawing on the ball. At first I thought he was blowing into his cupped hands and contemplating his next strategic move; then I saw the ball...and the slow-motion replay was really a kicker. As for the knucklehead who ran onto the field and tackled Latif, I seriosuly hope he receives jail time. It also raises some interesting security issues. I think we're fortunate that this guy was just a drunken boofhead. Imagine if he was carrying a knife or some other weapon. The Monica Seles incident automatically comes to mind. Hopefully Cricket Australia will address security issues and look at some short-term solutions: for example, placing two guards together at boundary points where fielders are positioned - one facing the crowd, one facing the ground; and better monitoring of crowd behaviour to identify problem fans earlier.

AS A BIG PAKISTAN FAN I AM TOTAL DISGUSTED WITH AFRIDI'S ACTIONS TODAY AND DESERVES THE BAN, BUT ATLEAST HE HAS ADMITTED HE WAS WRONG. STUART BROAD AND MIKE ATHERTON HAD BOTH TAMPERED THE BOWL, BROAD BEING THE MOST RECENT. iF AFRIDI WAS AN ENGHLAND, AUSTRALIAN OR EVAN AN INDIAN PLAYER HE WOULD OF GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT. I DO ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS DONE BY THE HIGHER POWER THE BCCI (INDIAN CRICKET BOARD)OF MAKING THE PAKISTANI PLAYERS LOOK MORE STUPID. AFRIDI WAS WRONG TIM FOR BROAD TO OWN UP, AS DAVID GOWER HAD SAID " WHAT IF IT WAS A PAKISTANI PLAYER WHAT WOULD WE DO" YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT NOW.

This is a familiar story where teams from the subcontinent are targetted but the others get away. Why are Anderson and Broad let off while Afridi immediately banned? When Anderson and Broad reverse swing, they have talent but when Waqar and Shoaib do it, they tamper.

Don't know but it's shame he can't get Knighted like M Atherton. Still would have like to see the the player wrestled to the ground put the smack on the spectator, Symonds style.

sthu dumb kid

I think the Title "What was he thinking" is very Ironic. The fact of the matter is he knew exactly what he was doing and felt it's worth the risk since ICC doesn't have any strict rules in this matter.
It's a shame to see that a second time offender is only banned for 2 T20's in a tour which is nothing but loseville. He has the audacity to blame all countries of tampering and blames the misfortune for being caught.
He joins his teammates like Asif, Aktar, Latif etc in this exclusive club. He has put the game and his country to shame.country

Shahid "Dumb Dumb" Afridi.

i think our pakistani cricketers need a good doctor or they need to take some education classes these people r just uneducated they have no idea whats right or wrong they just do it

100% correct!

Afridi shud be forced to pubicly eat a whole box of cricket balls, just as teens are forced to smoke a whole pack of ciggies when they get busted!!!

He was very desperate to win , but by cheating that’s disgraceful

Why does Afridi keep getting off the hook, it is quite clear he is a cheater....it wasn't long ago when he dug his spikes in the pitch to create a rough for his bowlers in a test match against england.

It is quite hilarious how dumb he is, he thinks nobody will notice his stupid actions in international matches which are covered by no less than 20-30 cameras. Word of advice Mr. Afridi.....save the cheap antics for 'gallis' of Lahore.

It is strange. How insane one could be to bite a ball in ODI with 26 cameras catching action all around. Though desperation to win could be the reason ( I saw a banner “Pakistan – at least win a game”, this is not fair. Height of stupidity. What else to say?

Pakistan cricket is full of jokers!! Nothing surprises me anymore about the Pakistan

What was he thinking???? You mean to say Afridi thinks??You mean to say Afridi has that capability ? It is not evident in his batting as well as actions ??/ He is just a plain dumb bowler who bowls some good balls sometimes ? If you have seen Afridi over the years its obvious that grey matter is not in play when he bats or fields or gives interviews.

Pakistan's new slogan: "If you can't beat them cheat them" :-)...Most of the national players are over rated and unlike based on talent, get selected on the basis of a phone call from a higher authority in the government. So unless these practices are changed, the results will always be the same. There are great players just sitting around kicking dirt.

It has been proven once again that you can't associate certain cricket teams with fairness.
people with no morals and ethics can't be trusted be it sports or politics!!!!

Someone who brings disgrace to the game gets away with just a two match ban – is it a joke???
Who doesn’t agree that a 2 match ban is something a naive person would get not a thug or a cheat - ban him for life!!!

pakistan team ia gayyyy fkin pakistanis r gay too

Afridi would have been better off if he'd just covered one side of the ball in electrical tape and then hoped no one would notice.

This is not new with Afridi. I remember during England series during lunch time, when all the players were going to pavilion,he literally put his spikes in the middle of the pitch and tampered with the pitch.Luckily Kevin Peterson caught it. Cheating is the blood of all pakistani players.

My topic is today(A TEAM OF MAAJEY N GAMEY)Gone are the days when(people of charachter)like Zheer Abbas,Majid Khan,Imran Khan,Miandad used to play n play for one beautiful name PAKISTAN with out compromise or any a second thought n the result was we won the world cup aaahhhh(champions of the world)a great title....now ooohh can not get worst than that coz people are aaallll MAAJEY N GAMEY ...SUCKERSS..I do not see any KHANDANI person in this team..its all personal n politics selfish..nothing for my country...SUB LOG DO(2)NUMBER..

I fully agree with Michael. There is no end to stupidty. who on earth can do such stupidity in from of 26 cameras and million of spectators all over the world! one and only Shahid KHAN Afridi.

A two match ban? are you kidding me? Two inconsequential T20 matches he can't play for taking a chunk out of the cricket ball live in front of however many Australians. Disgusting. Where is the 2 year ban? if as Afridi says "ball tampering" is happening everywhere, why aren't we putting a massive penalty on it? Outrageous.

He comes across as very much a person who is capable of lifting his team however does not seem to be across the details as much as you would want from a captain. One example is when he took over captaincy and did not notice that not enough people were inside the circle and Umar?? was no balled in that super expensive over. I think this is the same, i don't think he is someone who can think his actions through and understand the results of his decisions. I think he is more of a Flintoff, you don't want him to captin you just want him to play his normal uncomplcated game and leave the thinking to others. What he did was wrong and should never have even entered his head, especially when your captain and should be leading by example. Either they have been doing this for a while or that previous captains have stopped them from behaving that way and Afridi does not want to do the same and is partial to the act.

Afridi has embarrassed the Pakistani nation by doing this shameful act. I am not sure whether he is capable of leading any team let alone Pakistan cricket team. PCB should also take action on this sooner rather than later. He wanted to win the match by hook or crook but is not the true sprit of cricket. We can accept that they are not playing well but cheating is not acceptable to us BIG NO NO. Those will are living outside Pakistan bear the brunt of criticism and we have nothing to say but the keep out mouth shut and eyes down.

So Afridi should be punished this will at least address some of the damage done to Pakistan team and to the nation in general.

Imagine this kind of thing (spectator tackling a player) happening in India .. all the so called SAFE countries would immediatly issue warnings and travel advisories about saftey concerns for their player .. but guess what.. it happened in a "SAFE" country :) .. so we sall all laugh and write it off as a STUPIDITY ..

Chewing the ball: I am just glad the evidence was so clear and unequivocal. In the past any accusations of ball tampering have been countered with allegations of racism. It was not just dumb - it was deliberate outright cheating. A two match ban is insufficient. At least 12 months was caled for.

I was shocked to watch Shashid Afridi's action. He was biting the ball giving us the impression that he is having an Apple.I am sure the usual excuses and explanations will follow. He will not be allowed to play a match or two, and things will be forgotten. The History just repeats and no one has the guts to take a serious action.

MS Dhoni was handed a ban for 2 ODI matches for slow over rate.. I am very very surprised that Afridi has been banned for just 2 T20 matches.. does that mean ball tampering is no bigger an offense than slow over rate.. i have always been a critique of ICC's punishment dual-standards and this outcome has strengthened my belief.

This is the problem with Afridi that he doesn't think; if he would, he would have been a world class all rounder. Whatever excuse he comes up with now with his ball eating demonstration, will not savour his character, his team and his country. This was the last thing you want to see on this dreadful tour. I believe that a complete overhaul is required within the team and the board as well but the question is who is going to take this step? The team needs counselling not a coach as yet and a psychiatrist who can treat some of the guys like Afridi who had dishonoured the country’s reputation. Its funny to note that the team members just don’t want to excel in the game, the bowlers while batting behave like they are not paid to do this job and vice versa. Dropped catches, casual running, simple mistakes has not cost us a game but the series. There’s so much more to say but I just don’t want to go there and hope that some one may revive the pride of Pakistan cricket in like Imran Khan did.

As far as the pitch invader goes, that incident embarrassed me greatly. As an Aussie we like to think we've got the scurity thing under control, but alas, it appears we do not. What if this deadbeat had a knife & did a Monica Seles to Khalid Latif? I'd like to apologise to the Pakistani team, managemeent & supporters for this fool's actions. This d*ckhead is not representative of us all.

It's a credit to the Paki players the way they shrugged it off and continued playing. I'm not sure too many other teams (my own country's included) would have acted in the same way.

Congratulations guys and I hope you perform better when you next tour here. It's been a pleasure having you here.

Why is it that Pakistan always seem to play the game at the very edge of the rules and always get caught flouting them. Haven't they learn't enough from such incidents in the past. C'mon Pakistan. It's time to clean up your cricket and clean up your image. This has to stop now.

Perhaps Afridi was hungry and he decided to take a bite. Hmmm. even an idiot would know the difference between a ball and an apple.Unbelievable display of comical behavior. No doubt this team is decent compare to the its team from yester years, an act like Afridi's could bring the team even further down from its current low state.

Well, first of all i would like to say, i am an indian. I live the play of shahid khan afridi since 1997, now he has over 12 years of experience, please brother(Afridi) control your temper, because u r only the eligible captain in your side, show ur leadership skill by winning lot of matches. Don't do these kind of kiddish things and don't put yourself down.

'Thinking' has never been one of Afridi's stronger attributes!

Actually my heartstopped for a moment and could not believe what is happening when I saw Afridi biting the cricket ball like an apple. To be very frank, I was expecting a much harsher punishment than 2 match ban, especially after today's newspaper reports which suggested Afridi talking as if this is an everyday affair in International cricket. Which dozens of television cameras scanning every inch of the action, there is no way someone who is closely watching the international matches for 20 years can miss these type of "every day affair". ICC should take note of his this statement(if the press reports are correct) and warn him further. I can't resist to point that a seamingly dirt cleaning effort by Sachin earned him a one match ban and a blantant ball tampering followed by an admission of guilty and a loose statement of "every cricket team does it" earned Afridi only a 2 match ban ! Somewhere somthing is wrong in ICC

with a million cameras around the stadium, its really foolish to bite the ball and plead guilty with ball tampering charges. Every now and then pakistan cricketers are in the news for non performing reasons. The qualities of players which Pakistan delivers is awesome but the way they turn into spoiled brats after little success is something to ponder about.

It may take a little while to realize what pakistan’s cricket team has done in this fine series. No doubt, Talent and professionalism exist in the players but the level is too low, bizarre and pathetic. I personally think, Pakistan team needs a good psychologist who can teach them how to respond on critical circumstances, How to hold the nerves and how to handle tough situations. Everyone does make mistake so does Afridi and no one was expecting this from him. However, it shows the level of desperation and frustration at certain extent that how badly they were trying to win the match. No doubt, Afridi is one of the finest talents and his presence brings hope to Pakistan cricket fans. You make mistakes and you pay the fair price at the core extent. Still, I believe Afridi must be the captain of all formats.Pakistan teams needs players who are fearless, strong minded, articulate, smart and braveThere is an old saying “When a push comes to shove !!!!”

doesnt afridi know you can't have two bites of the cherry

This is really unacceptable. "Want to win just 1 match for the team". What the heck was he thinking. I felt bad when none of pakistani players were selected for IPL. Now I feel these guys are not suited to play a fair game. The explanation that Afridi gives is that "everyone does", what a shame. No wonder why the team is in totters. Is there a sensible guy in pak team. I know its not fair to blame entire team but I think it is the issue of thought process of the team that would lead to such incidents.
If anyone was thinking that Afridi would be the next captain, think again, now every time his team wins, the world would doubt whether he played fairly. God save this team. Did he do this earlier too. Is this the way they won the ICC Twenty20. I would want to watch those matches again and see what they have done. I had lot of respect for Afridi....now it goes to garbage...

Afridi saying things like disrespect to my nation, disgrace etc after the IPL auction now seem so hollow. What he has done in WACA is more disgraceful than any other.

I will not blame players for controversies! specially in last few years. Cricket has been completely changed and administrator are still politically hired and they are not qualified or specialized in their fields.
We need to bring in corporate culture to move in right direction even today we are bringing cricketers straight from street (now days Pakistani first class is not better than league cricket in UK I have seen myself and having experience in both) to international circuit and than you see things likes that in almost every series.

The explenation afridi gave was he somehow trying to win at least 1 game for pak. Well thank god he didnt resort to biting the ears of hussey and ryan harris. The great pak tamasha has reached a memorable episode and TRPs are high. On a sadder note pak players and administrators should understand that they are ambasadors of there country and making there own country a laughing stock of whole world. Only 1 person came out with flying colors and that was Khalid Latif who showed trimendous grace in a hideous incident. If it wasnt for him aussies would have ended up with a egg on there face. Just imagine if same thing would have happened to ponting or pieterson in sub continent. It would have potentialy ended the match as ponting confirmed.

What have you done Mr. Boom Boom? Never expected such kind of act from you. I was hoping that after this series this team will have a bright future under your captaincy but you have washed away all my hopes. May god bless you.

A disgraceful moment for Pakistan and Pakistan Cricket Team. As a captain you must be leading the way but to do something like this which Afridi did is not acceptable for any cricket fans. I love Afridi when ever he is in field either with bat or ball or in the field. He has always put energy in the team. Pakistan Cricket fans do see him as a future captain who can change the team's fortune. Now every one must be thinking well do we really want this guy?? Its good he apologise quickly but this will not vanish from the minds of umpire and match refree and now when ever he will have ball in his hand, all the cameras will swing to him. I hope and pray that he will learn some major things from this mistake and will lead the team next time as a leader.

You've nicely summed up the highlights of entire Pakistan-Australia series in this article. As a Pakistani, I'm quite ashamed of Afridi's actions. He should be the last one to get involved in such illegal activities, as he was leading the side. It seems that he hasn't learnt from his past mistakes. In my opinion, he should not be given the captaincy of the ODI and T20 team, and instead a young lad like Fawad Alam or Umar Akmal should be appointed as captain of the all three formats. Remember, South Africa appointed Grame Smith when he was 23 years old and he turned out ot be one of the best captains in the modern times. God help PCB and our cricket team.

I know he cheated BUT I would take players like him who are willing to do ANYTHING to win anyday. His methods were wrong, no doubt about it but his intentions were noble, at least in my book for a nation starved from some sort light.

GO AFRIDI GO

Only two games suspension for ball tampering.Its a very serious issue.ICC should suspend from all forms of cricket for atleast 6mths and also a fine so that any cricketer cant think about this in their dream also ,what ever the situation may be.

The title "What was Afridi thinking", I think if he was thinking at all he wouldn't have done this

Agreed with Abdul Ghaffar Ansari. Pakistan team has always been full of talent but with no or trifling leadership and planning.
As we all understand the sport has become more of scientific nature rather than just a day-off for fun. We surely need to bring in professionals at all levels. I may also suggest hunting a pool of players who may be future captains and train them on different leadership / team management skills (as we do in our corporate culture with all our employees who are already trained onto that).
As Board is already under fire it is high time to bring in radical changes. More importantly these changes should not be just for the sake of change as it generally used to happen. As a matter of fact we need to have pool of coaches, trainers, groomers, and off course planners who should work 9-5 basis as they do their regular jobs.

As we know all pcb is not ashmaed what has happen and their protecting the players, which will give more confidence to the pak players to involve in such activities, i should say Mr. Imran Khan should be given chance to rectify the players and PCB

This biting action from the so called "boom boom" is really unacceptable. It is rather unfortunate that he is still trying to defend himself by saying all the teams will tamper the ball. When will these people ever learn? I can't imagine what he will do in the future to win the games for his country. I think ICC should step up and tighten the rules to stop players doing these king of activities in the field. If these shameful events continues in the same way, God... save the game of cricket.

I will not blame afridi for his act. I will blame to those who try to win the game on tables by making the rule in thier favour. I will blame pakistan cricket board for its weak stance on what so ever change occures on the formate of cricket.

Bowling was one of the most strong areas of palistan. Reverse swing was our art but the other nations who cannot learn this art have conspired against us. By making rule of changing the ball afer 34 hours has seriously curbed our bowling strength. Older and softer ball swing reverse well but all the hard work is done on the ball to make to swing it is replaced this is really hurting for bowling side.

Everyone in the Pakistan political fraternity cried foul when they were not selected for IPL. Sorry dudes, it is this event which brings more disgrace than not being selected in IPL. As much as we want to Afridi and his team mates in action in India in IPL and the way we have written blogs etc against Modi, I guess at the end of the day we gave them the "we told you so..." Shame on Afridi just when he was saying the right doing the right things he shot himself on the foot.

This action of Afridi is totally un-acceptable & more so of his acccusing other teams doing the same throw umpiring as a whole fake. It looks like telling a big lie to become truth. He should be punished more severly for his talking too.

Though no one can approve of what Afridi did in the field but he has proved once again that he is a man of guts who can accept his mistakes staright away without giving lame excuses. I give him full marks for his brave confession. He is a real team person who sometimes can go out of the way to help his teammates. To me Pakistan has a true captain in him who can solve their many problems inside and outside the field.

What a shame? Is he going to represent my country as a captain? I Don't think so. Already pak community is misinterpreted in front of world. This guy suppose to be role model for sports of Pak. Now, how world treat us? Our top sports personalities should behave like a country ambassadors to project our country image. PCB please throw him out!!! We don't want cheaters in our side even though he is a top class all rounder. Country stands tall. Losers are not to be ashamed in sports but cheaters. Yes Yes Yes

As a Pakaistani I feel ashamed of what Afridi did the other day. He should be banned from playing any form of cricket for life. He brought disgraced to the nation.

i would still give Afridi a chance. it may look stupid and there is no excuse for it but the guy has loads of energy and this is what Pakistan's cricket need at this moment. more then that he is the kind of person who can gel the team together. so please dont write him off so quickly.

Brave confession? I thought he said he was just smelling the ball!

nice post, I am not sure if anyone is going to read these comments, but i remember pakistan as a side which was dreaded, they had some amazing players like inzamam, waqar, wasim akram, saed anwar, once upon a time i used to really used to hate them but ya as a true supporter of cricketer i must say they were talented and after looking at this current pathetic pakistan side, I seem to actually miss the players of the past... what do we say.. its really a shame missed catches, eating the ball, wasting powerplays like younis did, i really pity bowlers like rana naved and asif who are the best in the world.. i can imagine how depressed they must be after chances are not taken, i cant believe a nation with so much cricketing history is slipping so fast, hope someone does something real soon before its too late... hope to see pakistan up and fighting soon ... hope cricket gives some form of respite to the nation... peace

I agree to what Atif JAfry has said, GO AFRIDI GO

I think he should be banned form all games we have seen enough of his antiques of tampering the pitch and now ball bringing the game to disrepute long gone are the days of afridi, now adays i watch him for his bowling than batting. i think number 11 of my team is good at throwing a kitchen sink at everthing than afridi.
I thinks he put all of pakistan in shame with his quotes " i was trying to win one match for pakistan. if he still continues playig we will see more of this in the future from afridi. once you have decided to cheat to win and if you have the personality and daftness to do it and just getting a ban of 2 games, Iam sure he will rpt the act once agian.

Someone should tell Afridi that we don't grow white apples in Australia.

In case of Afridi, it is been there done that kind of stuff. Previously he was caught in a Test match for deliberately scuffing the pitch & now this. So much for learning your lessons!

i do agree that afridi have done is wrong but my question is it not done in the past ? even a batsman like Sachin and dravid are also a part of this ball tampering in the history and they got also ban so whats new in that ?

I went through all the postings and I feel sorry for a cricketer of Afridi calliber doing such childish things.There are no two opinions about this incident but the way my Indian rather indian friends are reacting or over reacting and they are relating it to IPL and all stuff like that and some of them are mentioning the names of Waqar and Waseem and trying to take the credit away from these legends is something I couldnt understand. I do agree that a spade should be called a spade but going beyond that surely shows bad intentions. Waseem and Waqar both are the legends of the game and they will remain the legends just like great sachin. As for as IPL is concerned that is nothing but money making business and as a cricket fan i am least interested in getting any position for Pakistani players in it. Long Live Pakistani Cricket.

Pakistan cricket team really needs one mature, professional mentor who understands and respects spitir of the game, may it be in the form of coach or captain.

I went through all the postings and I feel sorry for a cricketer of Afridi calliber doing such childish things.There are no two opinions about this incident but the way my Indian rather indian friends are reacting or over reacting and they are relating it to IPL and all stuff like that and some of them are mentioning the names of Waqar and Waseem and trying to take the credit away from these legends is something I couldnt understand. I do agree that a spade should be called a spade but going beyond that surely shows bad intentions. Waseem and Waqar both are the legends of the game and they will remain the legends just like great sachin. As for as IPL is concerned that is nothing but money making business and as a cricket fan i am least interested in getting any position for Pakistani players in it. Long Live Pakistani Cricket.

Afridi make a mistake to bite the ball in this movement, because already the other countries of the world aim to finish the Pakistan and Pakistani team.

i think that afridi will not do this . i am think that india will always critise when ever this type of think will happen.

Is indeed Afridi has let down his team and his nation in doing this kind of stupid act.Certainaily not when he was captaining his team.A captian should set an example both on and off the feild.but from all this i would like to draw one attention to all that why was BOARD from England wasnt charged with any thing when he tampered?
In this growing period of technology where you can watch anything going on the feild Board was just let off.Even in that instance there was clear evidence that he has stepped on the ball which he is not supposed to and the ball started to reverse there on. In both the scenario the ball was tampered the only difference is Afridi has accepted were as Board dint.Is this attitude of ICC referees dosent sound biased.For one they have handed over a ban of 2 20-20 internationals and the other was not even charged with the offence.If ICC looks all the players with one single eye then only things will look good.Hope i made a point

The idiot that ran on to the pitch, should receive life ban Oz wide, period. I wouldn't be against letting a Pakistani led team armed with cricket bats letting off some steam on him either.
On a more serious note, maybe a name change is order: How does Yum Yum sound instead of Boom Boom?

Another controversy On a Australian tour. I was wondering why there was no controversies at all, here it comes in the Form of Afridi. I agree to everyone that watever Afridi did was the dumbest thing ever. But also lets talk about the Pitch Invader issue! What if he was armed! he would have killed Khalid Latif. What on earth Australian Security doing?? day dreaming?? ICC has to take stringent measures on these incidents, especially the security of the players is at stake whenever they play in Foreign countries.

Definitely we have to back Afridi. He showed us how good Pakistani Team could be under effective leadership and yes he made a mistake but he ll learn & move on.

i think afridi did a bad think but icc should react others countries as well.

"Posted by: Haider at February 1, 2010 6:27 AM

i would still give Afridi a chance. it may look stupid and there is no excuse for it but the guy has loads of energy and this is what Pakistan's cricket need at this moment. more then that he is the kind of person who can gel the team together. so please dont write him off so quickly."

Yes, Yes, Let him chew off few more balls or may be opponents ears, this time for the sake of winning just one match.

Recently, protests all over the Pakistan how India insulted them by not taking them into IPL-3. It is infact the time for Pakistanis to protest on how Afridi has insulted their country by such a stupid act.

Afridi had the IPL-3 exclusion playing on his mind. He isn't to blame. If any, it should be the Indians who have stressed him into such behaviour.
That's the 'root cause'...

Well..I totally agree with everyone here that what he did was completely wrong. I am one of the disappointed fans, I believe if they had played with this fight the whole series...there wouldn't be any need for ball tampering which is the worst thing you do.

But what surprises me the most is no one talked much about or posted a blog about recent ball-tampering controversy surrounding England bowlers.
No punishment for them??

All of a sudden I see people giving reasons as to how Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram became destructive - because of all ball-tampering. Yes they were involved in it too but in all matches you can't tamper it.

I am completely against ball-tampering, only good fight and team unity will win you the games and not ball tampering.

I completely agree with the person who has said that what do you expect from a team who's more interested in playing for IPL.

I think it's better to forget what IPL did, and try to prove them wrong by their on-field performances.

this is really a shame for pcb to have witnessed such an act, he should have got s stiffer panelty, must be lucky to get away with only two TT matches,,
probably ranjan was a bit soft on him, but a shameful act ,, he tol on geo that so many other pakistanis have done this before,,but with no evidances that time made them a big names such as wasim, waqar and aqib and Imran and akhtar and so on,,,,,

Correct descisson to ban him but waht about Broad he did the same against SA but no action taken against him , why ??

Hi sports,
when i first heard it on tv abt this i ws shcked by this, nt for he does a thing like this but as he stil does things to win,it jus got me remember abt the incident when one of the grt players of t same team,when j miandad one of the influential leaders of pak cricket throwing the bat at other player in the midle of ground oh god i stil dont understand wht ws he thinking in his mind, i thought by that incident the team would hav been banned, but u know we stil have many more to see like that.even i dint see tht kind of thing in the gully cricket who genuine cricket lovers.hope tht is not taken as insiration by other youngsters.

You people are talking about the life ban on afridi ??????

What happened to stuart broad ??

Why he is not banned from the cricket ??

Why afridi is banned ????

I must admit that everytime i remembered the ball biting incident today, I couldn't help but laugh out loud...it got me through a boring day at the office. Yes it was stupid and deserves a decent ban, but overall the test and 1day series were played in very good spirits by both sides.
26 cameras...what a clown !

Would be nice to see the security guards get on the treadmill so they can catch pitch invaders in the future. It will be a sad day if all grounds require fences to protect the players.

It's also rather pathetic the pitch invader chose to tackle a player who was totally defenceless facing the opposite direction. Fingers crossed he gets a life-ban at cricket grounds and some time locked up.

on the outset Afrid's act was stupid..

BUT

just as much as the Aussies who throw the ball into the pitch every time returning to the keeper.. remember watson reversing it in the test in the 13th 14th over..
I am sure a few of you have played cricket as I have.. thats just not possible...

highly unacceptable and punishable. to set an example ICC should ban him for life rather than taking it lightly. increasing the punishment is the right way of dealing with on field unacceptable behaviour. ICC takes serious note of batsman leaving late after giving out or bowler appealing badly -- but two match ban is nothing -- is it so light an incident that has happened.. ICC pls wake up-- this is too serious an incident

I was really surprised by the act his act!!
You can not turn the tables in a single day and of course with out doing your home work, they don't have unity, they just want to win by any rotten means, its really disgusting. At least against Auz it can never be a one man show and Afridi is a good alrounder by him self, there is no doubt about it but THE TEAM has to perform agains any good team and not an individual. Its a gone time when you would have seen Pak team playing like a team.
Any ways he must be punished to the depth and Pak team needs a grass root renovation indeed.
But still hats off to Auz, they are real professionals.

ICC has done what they could as per their rules with regard to Afridi's strange appetite. What is PCB going to do about it? Are they not going to take action on their own? That is, if they have any shame or self respect!

being a pakistani i wont defend afridi here but as a matter of fact i must tell that ball tempering means when ball is made rough from one side. i totally agree with what afridi said that every team does it, because nowadays we see bowl being thrown in flat on the pitch. OR the rubbing of the ball done by the players is also meant TO MAKE THE BALL SCUFFED UP FROM ONE SIDE. however on part of the team's performance in last ODI i am really happy as they should courage to defend the small total and gave AUS. a run for their money. but unlucky they were. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REQUEST ALL OF YOU OUT THERE TO SUPPORT PAKISTAN TEAM AND WAIT TILL LALA (AFRIDI) becomes captain OF THE ODI team and they start winning again. I am sure it will all start happening from FRIDAY the 5th of FEB. AND YOU AUSSIES LOOK OUT FOR PAKISTAN IN ENGLAND. LASTLY i think due to the SYDNEY DEBACLE, the team could not get themselves up again WHICH ULTIMATELY LED TO A DISMAL PERFORMANCE OF THE TEAM. THANKS. CHEERS.

someone who is captain and doing such nonsense should be thrown out of the team.There should be no other chance to him.A captain is that who lead the example to his teammates not so stupid.For best future in cricket in your country just ban him for lifetime

if this incident is aken lightly by ICC, then this thing wil be given as example even for other teams,so for every time this kind of thing is happens we hav to be softer every time so take action that he atleast knows what is representing a country.and wining is the aim u can win even in the gully cricket by all these things plz remember the importance of being a sportsmen of the country and being an example for many youngsters who things afridi as their hero ?well i dont think him as so..in cricket even a silly things are taken as serious and we shuld take it seriously or make it standard for all teams, and let every player commit it and banned for 2 matches.,rubbish.

Who says security conditions are not good in pakistan. with this incident what do you say about the security measures in australia. International matches should also be banned in aus.

i have read some comments and understood that most people are talking out of envy.he commited something wrong and punished accordingly.we forgot that there are some laws and reg.it seems like if some people have the authority thanthey would have banned him from cricket.i hate the word ban.someone rightly said so why the hell S Broad got away for stepping on the ball?we have seen many incident like that in past.when pakistani players invented reverse swing it was cheating,on the other hand when it was done by anyone else its become an art!!what a hypocracy.

I dont "THINK", Mr. Afridi understands the meaning of this word. One would not do such a shamefull act even at a school level match.. I guess he better resign ASAP.......

I support if not life-ban, atleast one year ban from all sort of cricket. I feel ashamed and disgusted on his behavior. In my friend's word and I completely agree "I never liked him for some odd reasons." I appeal ICC to AWARD him with toughest possible ban to make him an example. I also feel bad that we still have people who are supporting this person and for me this is one of the reason that as a nation we are rolling down like a Snow ball because we support cheaters and gamblers in every walk of life.

I think he should have got a more severe penalty.
Apart from that no Pakistan team ever had humiliating defeats like this. They need a complete restructuring and a captain with personality and a cricketing brain.

Well, In my view he was not wrong by tampering the ball, as he was not doing this intentially (infact he was releasing pressure by doing this act) as some time some people eat nails during pressure like Ricky ponting. Well done Afridi, good captiancy, He deserves this position.
Wish him best of luck.

As a ardent cricket lover (irrespective of which country you belong to) this act of Afridi is a clear show of his commitment to the ethics of the game. The spirit of the game is destroyed by this player not just once!!! Surprising is that no action is spelt out by the PCB after days of this incident happening. May some common sense prevail on PCB & Afridi... God Save you....

In sports either you WIN or LOOSE. So I am not ashamed of loosing ODI series 5-0 from World's No. 1 team as much I feel ashamed of Afridi's act on the ground. His interview yesterday on a Pakistani TV Channel GEO that he was desperate to win. He also used an excuse that all teams do ball tempering. This is merely non sense. He was captain of the side and should have behaved as roll model for the members of his team. This is not the first time. Incidents at England & South Africa (with the spectator) are other examples of his character which does not qualify him to become a captain of National Team in any format of the game. I don't even agree to his talent & abilities. After playing about 375 ODI,s he has not learnt how to play for the team? He just know one thing ie; to hit every ball for a six. Cricket is a team sport & he should first learn how to play in a team? Once he will acquire this then comes the question of a CAPTAIN WHO BELIEVES TO WIN THRU SPORTSMAN SPIRIT.

are koukaburra balls Halal ?

3 Test,5 Odi and now 1 T20(meant to be played but i think it all in all)here we go a rocking tournament.

Its really shame for the whole nation who hasvery good history of cricket. Its all about whether you play for the nation/honour or your self. He is the man who is responsible for net setting the opening players over many years. He along with ohter players should be out of team who have not performed well in this tour for whatever reasons.

Forget about winning,they were not even able to give a decent fight to the aussies in any of the matches( pls dont talk abt the last match, every1 knew 212 wasnt good enough to defend).I mean 3 times they chased and the match was over in the first 10 overs itself.it was rubbish batting from all,esp afridi who cannot occupy the crease for more than 5overs, even after more then 200 ODIs, he refuses to learn.Look at Dhoni, how he has changed his game.And then he goes and starts eating the ball...This is not dumb..dumb is when you dont understand the consequences.This in plain words is cheating and he should have been treated accordingly.
And the hue & cry he made out being left out of the IPL.MY GOD. and i do remember the first edition he played for DC, he was such a massive flop.The reason must be that they r not makng money playing for PAK, since they play so badly, so they are sad on losing out on makng money in IPL.

From Butt to Bite Pakistani cricket is in a great shambles.This is not the cricket team we knew.It is total capitulation.No strategy whatsoever, and the least bit of spirit.I fail to understand what's wrong with this bunch.Nobody likes the other especially not the captains.They have to learn to function under some leader who has been appointed by the authorities.It's a sheer lack of discipline I should say.In this world of professionalism one has to be shrewd besides being a little educated which I think is the responsibility of the higher-ups.A little training and grooming is the need of the hour.Things cannot be taken for granted any longer.One has to work hard to make things happen in this cutthroat world.Nepotism and carefree attitude will not help.The whole set-up has to be changed.Afridi I am ashamed of you..usually we say Proud to be a Pakistani...but after this despicable act of yours i will have to think twice before saying this...when will you learn O! Pakistanis..

There was a time when players were coming from schools and colleges. Those inter shcool/college tournaments are no more and the result is that we get stupids like Afridi, Asif and Shoib Akhter in the team. You can'nt imaginw with this likes of Haneef Mohammed, Zaheer Abbas, Majid Khan, Imran Khan who were product of school/College cricket.

Looking into present situation of pakistan cricket all not going well there captain in under scrutiny, Media says team is divided into seniors and juniors and management looking for new one day captain, This is very well preplanned by Afridi. Afridi knows that his chance of becoming captain of pakistan team is sure and he doesn't want his performance should get come into picture while selecting Pak captain by there Mgmt and he is afraid of loosing T20 match against Aus and spoil his name so he followed the best possible way to get out of the Aus series.

But doing so he made him self and pakistan cricket foolish

hi sportsters,
Afridi is known for damaging ball with bat already ,and now wants to be known for damaing ball with bowling as well. no matter what he is doing but he is getting famous for damages he is making.as he is already famous of damaging pitch LOL....

am a great fan of this handsome pathan but his foolishness made him out of the two very exiting 20-20 games which will not be as exiting as without him

What he did was completely uncalled for. A whitewash was enough for us on this tour. But all said and done i am a die-hard fan of Afridi and i still think he is a class "T20" player and captain. I love him!!!!

everybody sees pakistani's tampering the ball but what about the incident that happened in south africa when Mr.Broad stepped on the ball during the test match. No Action was taken, i know it is wrong from afridi but please dont just point the finger at him only or anyother person. i also believe he is a good leader for pakistan. And the rest is for you to judge.

As far as I remember Pakistan had not done as badly as they did on thisTour to Australia. As the pressure mounted on Pakistani Team to save Face by winning last ODI, Afridi did a thing which is very rarely seen on a cricket field. He literally gnawed the ball clearly forgetting that multiple cameras are catching his act. I think things unrealted to cricket are getting too much attention in Pakistan Cricket. Pakistani players should learn from their past and focus on it nd remember that they too had won some close games against Australia e.g. 1999 World Cup Match otherwise downward slide of Pakistan Cricket is surely going to continue.

Does Coach Intikhab's response to the Afridi ball eating incident sum up Pakistan's woes: " Ifeel sorry for him ". PARDON???

It is really strange to see Afridi biting the ball. I have seen funny things happen in Cricket but this takes center stage. I cannot believe that a great Cricketer like Afridi can do such an act. By being completely whitewashed by the Aussie's this is the last thing the Pakistani team can do. However he should be meted out a severe punishment so that such an act cannot be committed again. It spoils the image of the gentleman's game called CRICKET. But the Pakistani's are notorious for such acts. Imran, Wasim Akram, Waqar, Aaquib Javed have all been guilty of ball tampering in the past. It's a shame. ICC please take note of this and rectify it. we as spectators want to see fair play all around.

Firstly on the pitch invader. As an Australian fan i think it was one of the worst things i've seen in my time watching cricket. Many of us will have a laugh about pitch invaders and it can certainly break up a boring match. But an attack on a player has made it clear to me why zero tolerance must be introduced, whatever that entails.
Problem is it is difficult to stop one idiot getting through the security net short of putting up fences (which would be a shameful day).
Either way the Pakistani team deserve a full apology.
Maybe we need Andrew Symonds back to deal with invaders in his own special way.

As for Afridi: Wow! Is he missing a few screws? Despite his brilliance the two things that come to mind when i hear his name are the pitch scuffing and, now, apple-gate. At least try to hide your cheating. Unbelievable.

Why are all of after poor Afridi? After all,he only showed his likeable human side!He thought it was a ripe apple!!

This man is a disgrace. This is not the first time he has acted in this manner. He has disgraced the whole country making Modi's antics look minor by comparison. He wanted to cheat in order to win "one game" for Pakistan >>> Sorry Mr. Afridi, Pakistan doesn't need such victories.
Thank God this has happened. We were thinking of making him the Captain....How stupid would that look. Good Bye Shahid, Go chew something else for a change.

I think Pakistan government should also take action against Afridi. He is representing our country and he should be answerable for posting such kind of negative cheat image not only across cricketing fans, but all over the world.

He should be banned for 2 years atleast (just life Asif). Although our team is going through crisis, but no one should be bigger than the game itself.

This means that the previous allegations against them during different intervals by different personals were right. whether related to ball tampering, chucking, bad umpiring or anything else. They only went away with others due to lack of technology.

I really hate my team for not only losing the game, but also for losing the sportsman spirit.

Mistakes are made by everyone in life but if person is repeating his mistakes and confirming it has been done delibrately then the punishment to be handed has to be harsh so as to act as deterent for others. Mr.Ranjan Madugale has handed out punishment which can be best described as an eyewash and to top it all the culprit wants immunity as he is sure everyone else is also doing it.God pl save cricket.....

A 2 match ban and that too a T20 match isnt enuf.He should be banned for life.

I dont believe this that how can Afridi do so.
In the modern world every child knows that LOTS OF CAMERAS are covering him. Any how in my point of view Afridi knows very well what he was doing. In my point of view it was planned by Mr. Afridi that Pakistan team goes back to the country without winning any match in three formats of the cricket (Test, ODI's and T20s) to be announced as Captain of the Team
How ever, he has apologized from the Nation and banned by the Match Referee as well.
And more interesting thing is that first time i have seen that the ball is being tempered by bitting. How funny.
Well what can be say, BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME AND HOPE FOR THE BEST FOR THE CRICKET FUTURE OF PAKISTAN TEAM.

Whatever happened has happened. I would like to see Afridi continue, and He will be the ONE who will lead pakistan Lifting the 2011 World CUP...Wait and Watch Evry1..and He has learnt his lesson already. He apologized for his mistake. So lets move forwarddd......and those who want him out are the ones who dont want pakistan to WIN!

I think he knew what he was doing and he was showing it to cameras as well. So this is somthing deeper than it looks. I think PCB should probe into the matter because i dont think he was doing it to win the match.

In view of what Shahid Afridi did, you should probably have chosen your words better when you referred to Younis Khan "chewing up valuable balls in the Powerplay".

Well done PAKISTAN, you have made bowlers like Bolinger, Siddle, McKay and Harrisinto heroes. Harris enjoy while you can. Had it not been for Pakistan they would not even get a single wicket.
Pakistan cricket should have some domestic matches as well. Looks like there is not much local matches being played.

Well seeing what Afridi did, didn't amuse me at all. Well we all have gone used to it and we know what kind of attitude does he have on the field, careless from top to bottom. This particular incident had yet again proved it. How can one justify trying to eat an cricket ball on the field? while every player knows these days that all their on field/off field activity is captured by the camera you got be the dumbest around to have done so. And then the funny side is that, this man is the captain of Pakistan T20 team. well come on PCB you have better players to captain the national side.

I am having a feeling that he did it purposely as he don’t want to lead the T20 team against AUS since he is very well aware that it is impossible to beat AUS now.

By keeping himself away from the T20 match he is now becoming a strong contender of Pak team Captaincy as now Yousuf will be able to defend him self.

Moreover if Kamran well lead the T20 team then we will witness the best of Umer .So far he have played for him self only and now for his brother but not of Pakistan.

It’s really heart breaking for Paki fans to know these politics going on.

i m pakistani and i m so shamed what hapend in cricket ground by afridi .whe all pakistani r so disapointed with that if u lost four matches i m shure that will hapen which afridi do

As an aussie I would first like to say that the pitch invader was a foolish tool. It is a credit to Khalid Latif and the Pakistani team that they shrugged it off and kept going. It was a shame that no-one hit the bugger with a bat.

As to the Pakistani team, it always amazes me how a team with such talent can lose so many matches. Nor can I understand why Sami can't get a game. Remember the only test he played it was his bowling rather than Asif's that set Australia back in the first place. I agree that M. Yousuf is not the Captain that Pakistan need (just too conservative), neither is Afridi for all his passion you just can't forget to think like that. I would like to see them groom Umar Akmal. He seems a nice kid and has been their best batsmen in both tests and one dayers looks a real talent. Fawad Alam also played with character in all his matches.

What Afridi has done in the presence of 26 cameras is a natural instinct of a Pathan. He forgot he is a Captain in the field and he has to lead by example. He led the team by giving up good fight. Fifth ODI was the only match where Pak Team resisted to the Australian Team. It means Afridi can be a good Captain. He is a fighter and he is a fast learner of the game. Let him finish his two T20 match ban and then talk to him show dignity in and out of the field. I am sure he will learn the lesson right away.

How come Afridi gets a ban whereas Broad and Anderson escape without so much of a warning?

I am puzzled, and confused by what's happening to one of the elite teams in the World of Cricket. With such rich young talents in the Country, it is evident that their Cricket is going bizzare not only with this incident but every time they change their Cricket board officials, the coaches, captains and Players alike. (With respect as a Cricketer) Miandad was sacked, reinstated, and sacked and now might even come back for another stint and what a Joke? These are legends of the Game....And can someone explain whats wrong with the Think tanks of the Pakistani Cricket. Being a Sri-Lankan, I am annoyed with all these Developments and someone should lend a hand for the betterment of this Country as a whole. Pakistan in turmoil...God save them.

No one can tell what he was thinking when he ate the ball like an apple, I guess he was so desperate to not let Pakistan lose the series 5-0 that he decided to play a little game, "The Ball is an apple". Well what he did was ridiculous and totally unexpected after seeing the extremely well performance by the team under him. Every player on the field was into the game as if it was a world cup final and that is the spirit that this team lacked throughout summer. The talent is there but it needs to be ignited and there's no other person than Afridi who can do this. So in my view, now that Afridi has apologised and readily accepted that he was desperate to win, we should give him another chance and let him lead the team like he did on Sunday.
I'm still hoping to see him as captain for the England tour, and I'm sure PCB would also pardon him for his act and give him the captaincy after a brief inquiry or so.

Disgraceful and stupid!

Here is another stupid news from the land of the pure:
Aamir Liaquat Hussain during his Aalim Online show on Geo TV on January 29 explained the reason for the poor performance of the Pakistan cricket team in Australia. He said that the Pakistan team had started to perform poorly since its players were now wearing cricket shoes with green-coloured soles. Green being the colour of Pakistan and Islam is being forcibly rubbed on the ground. Hence the divine retribution. It is difficult to believe that someone who professes to be a modern religious scholar, in this time and age, would deliver such superstitious sermon on a leading TV channel.

Look what happend to Pak-U-19 Team during the World Cup Finals few days ago. They are no different than their seniors. Pakistan Cricket should be groomed in the grass root level. And Some one with Imran Khan's stature with given powers should take-over PCB with limited political involvement. Pakistan politicians have destroyed this wonderful country...Army Generals used to involve in Cricket matters and not players. Appointing Cricketers alike would solve the problem if they aren't given proper infrastructure, incentives or powers to carry-out thier duties. Why sack Coaches or Captains when you don't appoint them for a longer period which would give them mental strength and self-assurances to build a team for the future. You can't build a team by threatning them to sack if they don't perform. FIRSTLY DONT APPOINT CAPTAINS ON SERIES BY SERIES BASIS.

That was one of the weirdest actions I have ever
seen happening on the cricket ground.I think that
someone has chewed away his brains like what he was seen doing to the cricket ball.All said and done he is one of the biggest crowd pullers the
game has ever seen and he should realise that people have come to see him belt the ball out of the ground and not bite it.

Afridi did the right thing that time how you feel that why you people not commented when ashoka desilva gave out of not outs. And every bowler do this bowl tempering but always pakistani bowlers ashamed why you ppl saw last ashes flintof and harmerson did revers swing none of the camra gave close veiw and in this particular match as rana reverse the bowl next moment you saw on your TV what afridi do other wise they even not know what happened boecouse the bowl change rule is also made against pakistanies the stunned that bowl was changed how it reversed so they check the vedios again and again if australia could bowl underaram to win from newsland in 1981 i will support afridi on that behalf

The penalty of two matches is less. PCB should play her role and ban him for at least 1 year.

I would suspend him indefinately, have a proper inquiry into it. He should be punished financially by the PCB and banned for say 6 months to teach him a lesson. Everyone playing in Pakistani colours are the country's ambassidors and if are seen with this sort of behaviour they are clearly giving their country a bad reputation and thats why the penalty for a lesson to be taught. Also this will show how keen PCB is to clean the game.

What Adfridi did was really silly and Im sure he regrets it. May be banning him and the whole team from twenty tewnety slogothon is not a bad idea, condisdering the abismal performance in the test and one day series, where they havent managed to get more than 350 and 150 runs respectively. How emabarrsing is that- i feel sorry for the bowlers who are world class including afridi but the capataincy/tactics , fielding abd batting have been awful to say the least. Afridi on this occasion should be given the benefit of the doubt-this was just a little relaspe and hopefully will subisde. Overall he ahs been showing signs of maturity and at least hes attacking and will not go down with out a fight! Younis Khan is the best leader but with his continous toing and froing " yes i do want to be cap" " oh no ive changed my mind" is destabilising. He s too moody and should be only be playing test cricket alongside Mohammed Yousaf who is great batsman but no captain, and should also retire ODI.

I really want to give Afridi the benefit of the doubt. He is an amazing player. His presence on the field virtually guarantees a show!
The life ban is best extended to any idiot who invades the cricket pitch during the game! What a moron! Please believe me when I say that all Australians aren't like that. I think we should keep these throwbacks in a special zoo or something!

No doubt Afridi has done wrong but he is one of the best player of Pakistan. He is full of talent and I really appriciate his courage to come and confess. He is not like other teams like Enlish who never let things come in the media and finish the matter like it never happened i.e. ball tampering by English bowler in South Africa tour.

Indians always maon about any thing happening against Pakistan but never say any thing about what they have done in IPL with narrow mind.

Afridi Zinda Bad

i am an Indian but a great fan of paki cricketers for the sheer talent and the unpredictability of their game. Was a huge fan ofr afridi the cricketer till today.. No excuses for this, the Pakistani board should ban him for life for irreparable damage to pakistan cricket and their players.

This is in reference to Mr. Haider comments. As a patriotic Pakistani I give two hoots for his energy & talent. Come on Mr. Haider the guy has disgraced Pakistan in front of the whole world. No cricketer is bigger than the game. Afridi has vindicated umpire Deryl Hair that Pakistan is a ball tempering nation.

SHAME AFRIDI THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR PAKISTANI CRICKET IF U R HUNGARY U SHOULD ORDER FOR AN APPLE DONT EAT BALL TAKE CARE IN FUTURE

I THINK AFRIDI IS DOING WRONG . THESE TYPE OF THINGS ARE BAD FOR GAME SPRIT AND ALSO FOR PAKISTAN CRICKET . WHAT THEY GIVE TO PAKISTAN NATION LOSE & SHAME .
M AAMIR
KARACHI PAKISTAN

Well, Afridi should have not done this. He is the most senior player after Yousuf and Yuonis.
On younis i think this is the best time for both Ys to annouce retirement from international cricket.
Poor Iqbal Qasim resigned because of no reasons on his part because i think this is the best team available at the moment.

DVC asks why the umpires didn't award 5 penalty runs against PAK for ball tampering. Can you REALLY think of no reason why the umpires might have been reluctant to do that? NOTHING comes to mind??

Big problem with the ranking of stupidity - a spectator tackling a player only ranks 2nd? I think everyone will be happy to hear that the bloke has been charged with trespass AND assault, plus got a life ban. All cricket lovers in AUS deplore what looked a very nasty incident - the player appeared to be in a lot of pain, holding his arm, despite putting on a brave face.

BOOM BOOM AFRIDI!!!

People are quick to judge Afridi, but other captains(Smith, Atherton)have done the same so its not the end of the world. That does not make it right. It just shows how frustarted Pak bowlers are with the state of the team and the useless batsman in the team. Cant beleive Ijaz Butt is protesting about the IPL exclusion- how stupid and pride swallowing is that! you should be glad given our current form in ODI and Tests.

I think afridi should be banned for at least 5 matches. its not acceptable. also PCB should put some fine on him. Team is playing so badly and need some reviews. Yonis is the only player who can lead the team and they should get some good bowlers in. also please play test matches rather than t20's all the time.

I do not blame the Pakistani captain for such actions. He was desperate to avoid a 5-0 thrashing! But come on he's the captain...

its just so absurd.Ban Afridi from all forms of cricket . he has brought shame to the country and we Pakistanis are just sick of him.These crickers always disgrace us and i want life ban on him.Could nt he be a bit more responsible? Well I never expected Afridi to do such a thing , such an irresponsible man.

Yes it was stupid tht he did it!! How can you say he should be banned? Correct me if im wrong but didnt two england players do a similar thing in the tour of south africa. Broad (i think) stamped on the ball with his spikes and Anderson (i think) was picking at the ball?? Im sure they werent banned...

Afridi banned match refree react very quickly, but its Afridi fault but why matach refree not take any decesion against Staurt broad last month series agianst south africa he did ball tampering and also have bad behavior with Umpire on the same match but no body take any decesion agianst him becasue he is son of Mr.Cris Broad former english batsmen and now he is MATCH REFREE any bosy have a answer about this ....

Pakistan cricket needs sound management and decent captaincy.Afridi has let them down.It`s not the end of the world.

I think he did it intentionally how come he did not know there were 27 cameras on the field , come on he has played almost 300 ODI s.He knew he would get caught well even by any chance he did not know there were so many cameras then he is the biggest stupid guy of the world and we Pakistanis are ashamed by his act. I say give him a life ban from all forms of cricket , he has played enough and now he should go ! before he does something worse then this.

Afridi show how stupid is he...i think he should be bane for at least 2 years from international & as well(domestic,county,leagues etc), so that this type of stupidy been stoped as we have a clear example of west indies player SAMULES faced 2 year bane recently by his own board. shame for Afridi

Pakistan cricket needs sound management and decent captaincy.Afridi has let them down.It`s not the end of the world.

If cricket is a universal religion, it is a sin, so there is no excuses for such kind of acts, It should not be repeated by any other player and the punishment should be deterent in nature ,
MY JUDGEMENT FOR THIS IS HE SHOULD BE BEATEN WITH BAT AND BALLS TILL DEATH IN A OPEN CRICKET GROUND.
yes, I really feel this is correct for him, with such acts the talented miss driven.

Afridi should be banned FOR LIFE.
He has already used up his second, third and fourth chances.
His actions and subsequent words have damaged not just Pakistan. but all the other honest players and countries in the world of Cricket.
Not punishing him more severely than a 2 match ban will encourage youngsters everywhere to CHEAT like he did.

Don't you guys think you're being a bit too harsh to Afridi? This is what always happens. When the Asian cricketers do anything wrong they get huge publicity for it and nothing happens when the others do it. Afridi did do the wrong thing but everyone deserves a second chance. And its really wrong to blame our bowling legends like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis and say that they also tampered the ball. The people who say that are just jealous of our extraordinary fast bowlers. And about Afridi, well I think that he's the guy our team needs now. He can keep the team together and he can win matches. He deserves a second chance. If you think he doesn't then who else is going to captain our team? I've always been his fan. This is the time he needs his fans the most

ICC has done what they could as per their rules with regard to Afridi's strange appetite. What is PCB going to do about it? Are they not going to take action on their own? That is, if they have any shame or self respect!

what a shame..... afridi is one of the senior guys in Pak team and what he has done has brought shame to his country which is greater than not being selected in IPL.I wish Pak players concentrate on improving their performance rather than worrying about the disrespect in IPL after the 3-0 and 5-0 mauling by the Aussies in tests and odis respectively.

Afridi is our national Hero. But wrong is wrong in any book. ICC bans Afridi for 2 T20, i think PCB should ban him for 5 oneday matches.
There is a line of new talent waiting outside for a chance.To make a good image might take years, but ruining it is that easy as it happened in last ODI . Younis is out of touch as was Inzi in world cup but his leadership is undoubted.why imran nazir is out of ODI squad ??
We love Pakistan and We love Afridi and every player but within the Rules and Law.

Fuck u oakis cheaters u ar all

I wish if same sort fuss was made of the Ball tempering done by English players Anderson and Broad in SA.

Atleast Afridi was honest in admitting, were ENGLISH Honest? A far cry.......

Cheers,
Kaleem

i think shahid afridi was hungry. He thought that ball was an apple

I agree with Michael, but not with some of the commentators here, Yes, what Afridi did was wrong and very stupid of him but he has already admitted biting the ball and felt sorry for it! This has nothing to do with his captaincy ability, he is still a very potential captain and he has proved it in this game! people who are saying that he doesnt have the temperament or he doesnt bat too long are just no good to comment here, does his batting has to do anything with his captaincy? I think with Umer akmal he was the 2nd or the 3rd most successful batsman for Pakistan in the One day series, wasnt he? And what about his bowling? come on man, yeah he did try to cheat and he has been banned for it, now what? leave him out of the team forever? No, you cant do that to a player of his calibre!

There is no denying that what Afridi did was blatantly wrong but for me the more serious incident was the Rugby like tackle of a spectator on a pakistani player. It is time for australian authorities to pull up their socks and root out such elements. From the news items we are getting since last one year on attacks on foreign students we are getting a perception that australians are not very tolerant towards foreign community.

What he was thinking?...He was thinking that the cricket administrators are bunch of fools and he can do whatever it takes to win the game. HE WAS RIGHT!!!

I actually thought Afridi was ball-whispering when I saw it. That was about the only way Pakistan were ever going to beat Australia.

The depths to which Pak cricket has fallen is evident in the fact that Afridi is looked upon as the prodigal son, the messiah who is going to be their Saviour.
Apart from the fact that his is seriously over rated and inconsistent, he is no role model to anybody. He is cranky, foul mouthed,and without any etiquette. What does he have that he can lead a country ??? No other country but Pakistan which is desperately depraved will want this man.
He will help them nail their own last nail in the coffin. GOOD LUCK

It's really annoying that Afridi has received only a two match ban especially after what he did in England before. And this is not dumb but a deliberate act by him. though dumb in the sense to assume his acts will not be noticed. He is such a talent and role model for many youngsters. Sad to see him do this - a bad example....

In all fairness, he has gotten an appropriate punishment. What he did was wrong and there's no point in defending such a shameful act but he admitted it and it was done, in the heat of the moment.

i think not only afridi even any player should not do that it is Game and also they should kick out Butt from the team he is batsman or a good filder they should have Imram nazir and Imran Farat on team I don,t think Butt should get more chance i am sure if but paly t20 for pakistan they will loose 100% if Butt Play for pakistan, Then Pakistan will loose the match i am 100 % Sure,

the whole incident just really sums up pakistan cricket at the moment, a complete mess.afidi instead of showing his hunger towards the game took it out on the ball, i am a british born pakistani and passionetly follow pakistan cricket. the sad thing is with the right type of structure, the nucleas of talent is there for the team to be right at the top of world cricket, our under 19 team is either winning or in the final everytime so where do they all go? we have some great talent in current team aswell, one of most balanced bowling attacks in cricket, we should have won most of our test matches in sri-lanka and n-zealand but sumhow managed to lose or draw them, although we lost 3-0 in tests in australia other then the 1st day of 1st test we competed and was alot closer then the final result but we lacked proffesionalism to finish a match. the afridi incident was just shocking! what a waste of talent

Why does he need the Indian Premier League to show off his talent? He is in a League of his own - The League of Cheats/Stupids!

No wonder the Deccan Chargers did not want him (after his outburst against his Captain and the team management after the 1st IPL)neither did any other IPL management. He must be thinking he is the ultimate god's gift to cricket and has a right to get selected and play everywhere. But, such matters of indiscipline/arrogance/lack of sportsmanship spread quickly and other IPL teams would have quickly realised how difficult it will be to manage such a player.

I am sure the IPL fans (and other fans of disciplined cricket world over) wont miss him.

Shame on ICC. Cameras clearly show at least 2 Pakistan bowlers seeing their captain with ball in his mouth. None of them informed the Umpires. This is massive cheating by the whole team. And one player gets a 2 match ban. This is more disgusting than the crime. Game of cricket has been hijacked and insulted by these cheats and they should be banned for much longer terms.

And by the way, where are the statements and demonstrations from Pakistanis saying they have been "insulted" by this behavior? None.Does that mean they may actually be proud of these guys?

ha ha ha ha, trying all impossible ways to win but still they loose...winning is not about presence of 11 players but all about team work, passion and more important positive attitudes toward the game. this is not a suggestion but a common sense ...

I request the ICC to review Pak players' footage during T20 matches in England last year. And also every match they have played. Can not trust these guys. Bunch of cheats. At least 2 bowlers along with their captain cheated or knew about cheating.

extremely disappointing & embarassing!! but to the people out there using the incident to mallign Pakistan clearly shows there biased & racial attitude coz they have a very short memmory probably - there are plenty of incidents,,saw dust to keep hands dry, rough edges on the trousers, mint gums etc..,anyways Afridi's actions were shameful & am embarassment to the whole nation!!

What was Afridi thinking? Mate, he was NOT thinking!

Afridi has done it again. Following the law and adhering to the rules is a very difficult proposition for us Pakistanis. The action is very reflective of the nation's mentality which by and large looks at ways to bypass or circumvent laws and regulations.

One Mr.NMC in this blog has mentioned that "even Sachin and Dravid were involved in ball tampering"
Mr NMC - Have you seen the video for which Sachin was targeted of ball tampering. If not first see and then comment. You and Afridi are few of those pakistani's who needs to be ashamed and need not call yourselves a citizen of a responsible nation, coz your thought process isnt straight.

Afridi now defending what he has done, is sorrowful. i loved his cricket..what is he man?? a joker..thats all..

And what was Rana Naved doing...he was smiling when Afridi was doing this crap...Pakistan cricket was an example once under the greats...teams like India were taking some lessons....today...its once again an example...example of a pathetic board...divided team...useless captains....overall its become a comdey show....Team needs an overhaul...through Afridis and Shoibmaliks..may it loose for next few years...a path for bright future should be laid.

If Pak had punished thier players severely(Asif and Shoab for drugs) They would have forced discipline in thier team. Now If again they dont take action on Afridi (Ban him from any type of cricket for six months)things will be worst.

I just cant understand what was going through his mind seriously!! Of all the ways to tamper with he ball he bit it?????? What was he wanting the ball to do lols?? No excuses it was disgraceful but lets not go over the top he is, like Yousuf only human. Sometimes moments of madness like this occur. Im very disappointed he did this because his captaincy was overshadowed by this disgusting event. To me Yousuf was very grim, not proactive enough in the field, didnt look as if he enjoyed it. It was obviously a burden on him. Afridis body language movement in the field, bowling changes were inspiring to watch. He was always on the balls of his feet, itching to attack the Aussies. I liked how he brought all the fielders in when the scores were tied, Yousuf wouldv given up and put everyone on the boundary.

And we cant expect his batting to change, look at Sehwag, he's ultra aggressive and it works for him incredibly well. Afridi just cant bat with patience, tis just not his style!!

Ranjan Madugalle has imposed 2 matches ban, but i think PCB also should come into the picture & should act promptly by suspending him for more matches, as it is they who have apponted him as a captain who can lead by example like cheating.

Where is the reaction from Pak? How come they are not "insulted" by this cheating behavior by their national captain and at least 2 other bowlers?

I also request ICC to review all the tapes from last ICC T20 WC. Umar Gul was getting reverse swing on every ball.

What a loser and complete tool. The world is laughing at Afridi.

Only ones not laughing are the good people of Pakistan who may be disheartened by a whitewash, but have had their hearts ripped out and spat on when witnessing their captain resorting to attempting to cheat. As a final insult, he labelled his legendary predecessors as cheats too. Pakistani cricket has hit an all time low.

The Pakistani backlash will be harsh - it won't be pretty and could last a very long time...

much like this thread ... anyone for popcorn?

Shahid Afridi is the biggest clown to ever walk on a cricket field. He should be banned for life. His stupid answer was tht everybody tempers with the ball. And how ugly he looked eating that dirty ball.

After this, can you balme England for recently accusing them of ball tampering? Can you honestly think they never did the same thing to win other games??? THINK AGAIN FOR THEIR PREVIOUS WINS!!!

Guys, What i fail to understand is that here in Autralia, a cricket player was attacked in the closest of Proximities. This is very serious as it could have been even a mentally ill fan stabbing a cricketer. So whay is this issue not serious. This attck in so similar to the attack on Srilankan team in pakistan. AN ATTACK IS AN ATTACK. Now will the ICC take stringent action towards Australia as a criceting venue or towards CA???

it is unbelievable that afridi has done such a stupid thing on the field. I think he did all becuase of frustration and nothing else. Now a days who plays the game in the right spirt. Australians are no. 1 playing the game in unsportsmanship. so many oz players are not banned or panelized for the unsportmanship. While omer akmal batting, all oz players are behind him sledding. why they dont encourage a young man like omer akmal to play much better.

There seems to be a "biting disease" coming up in sports men who are in desparation to win. The great Mike Tyson bite his opponent's ear, and today Afridi bite the ball. Sports men do have a beast in themselves - the one that normally comes out in great performances, but also sometimes like this in desperations.

I don't think that anybody should blame Afridi for his act ... if you put yourself in his place, you will know that what kind of pressure he is going through ? Pakistan started loosing from Dubai & still loosing !! any aggressive player can do that to have at least a win .. I don't say that it is right act BUT whole team should be blamed since Afridi took all of their dirt on his head !!!

Afridi bite the ball - he admitted it - he apologized - he also got punished.

Now lets leave it behind. Lets not exaggerate it as some reflection or representation of Pakistani criketers or Pakistani cricket.

Forget it now. Fullstop.

Thinking? I don't think Afridi knows such an acitivity exists. What annoys me is that this incident will give ammunition to those in India who are glad there is no Pakistani involvement in the next IPL, as evidenced by some of the comments here. That dressing room needs an Imran Khan or a Miandad to slap some sense into these boys.

Afridi is a hypocrite. He was pretty vocal after Pak players werent bidded for in the IPL. He made a statement that it is a disgrace to Pakistan. Now the whole world knows that he himself has brought disgrace to Pakistan. Now the clamour against IPL will die down and the clamour will fade away. All talks of jingoism emitting from Pakistan will loose its authenticity. Afridi should be viewed in same offence as match fixing.

Shame on you afridi , how can you do ? you dont deserve catancy any more being pakistani i am feeling so shame

what can i say!!! his brain never works. ferocious man.he should learn some lesson.hard lesson

DOOM DOOM! Afridi

For God Sake, STOP comparing your crickerters' foolishness with other....Set your own standards...stop following other....let other follow you.....change your mental approch. He, should be kicked out of the team...forever...How many chances would you give him....should get rid of all the seniors...who are the base of this corruption...just like politicians...who get re-alected years after years....But people are the culprit of this all...who keep giving them chance year after year match after match.

REMARKABLE STUFF AFRIDI....KEEP IT UP!
I am with you on this.......if the ENGLSIH can get away with all the dodgy stuff that they do on the field (against South Africa recently..allegedly walking on the ball and then kicking it away)...why cant us..PAKISTANIS!

get real boomboom...we can see every single thing now..even atherton was caught years ago..and technology has moved on in leaps and bounds

Sorry to say this but Pakistan need to give up on Afridi, 2nd time he has been found guilty of tampering, Deliberate pitch malicing and now Trying to eat the ball.
After all these years Afridi still hasnt learned how to be a team player, seems all he is interested in, is his Strike Rate, for someone who has played as a specialised Batsman in 300 ODI a avg. of 23.17 ist just not good enought

What I find more interesting is that the third umpire was able to grow some conscience against Pakistan but had no sense of it against England.

Perhaps Afridi is only being penalised for being from Pakistan. Otherwise, the England was also caught on camera.

AFRIDI is a match winner .he had not tempered the ball consiously .he's done this in nervousness.i have a lot of respect for him as a cricketer.he is a great sportsman.he is human as well.so there is nothing very serious.please remember he was nervous ans so did this .nothing strange!!!good luck boom boom.

What Afridi did during 5th ODI was a disgrace for cricket, his team and his country. PCB should ban him for a longer period of time. Winning is important but character takes higher precedence over winning. Ban for two T20 is not enough. Captains are supposed to lead by example, therefore, his punishment should also be examplery.

Afridi is lovely boy. He is not good player but he very good person. I know he blamed to ball tempering. But it is not fair that the Pakistan's players has no attitude. Its not fair.

This is not the first time he was caught on camera tempering the pitch before , do you call then sports men they should feel ashamed & actually should be stricen off the team of any nation , they bring shame to thier nation & nationals.

Afridi is a agressive player and he should be more careful as every camera is ready to catch him doin him a mistake so that he wud be banned for important games.Afridi dude be carefull all guns on u as ICC will always waitin for u to give u a ban

Alfridi is not dumb, he is a cheat and has been caught in the act more than once now. 2 match ban is too lenient as this is not his first.
Pak should ban him for 6 months

I really feel sorry for Pakistan cricket I really enjoyed their flair and flamboyance at the time when wasim, waqar, Inzy played (though not against India). I hope that some changes do take place in their administration so that the talented guys get a look in. Afridi has disgraced himself but he made a mistake accepted the punishment and that should be end of the matter. The bigger question is how can pakistan cricket be revived, we cannot lose another great cricketing nation like we lost West Indies there are not too many nations playing cricket at the highest level any way.

Pakistan cricket needs sound management and decent captaincy.Afridi has let them down.

Oh come on Gentlemen, Afridi was desparate and his act was only height of desparation. Can you put yourself in Afridi's shoe and think what comes in your mind. There are too many comments in here which are very discouraging. If you love cricket as you all say, forgive Afridi. Ball tempering is done all the time, its just the matter that if you are caught or not. Come on all, move on.

Pakistan cricket will rise again to full glory. Its just that our current situation in Pakistan has not allowed too many cricket matches for our team, thus leading to poor efforts in this series and the NZ series. This series has already been a nightmare for the Pakistani team. Australian cricket was at its best. Congrat to Aussies. Pakistan will bounce back.

Long live cricket, love live Pakistan.

Michael, I'm surprised that as an old Oxfordian you don't know the difference between begging the question and asking the question. Please look up 'begging the question' - it has almost nothing to do with what you meant.

If Afridi had tried to catch the ball in his mouth - then this would have been the same as Stuart Broad. If he had just licked the ball - then the same as James Anderson. The difference in the actions is substantial.

The people I feel really sorry for are the Pakistani cricket fans - ones like Aoun Hassan - who have to live with the embarrasment that the actions of their players cause. Actions which others will now no doubt use as justification for the vilification of Pakistan and their cricketers.

thank god...he didn't eat ball...

Ban of 2 matches is not enough, Afridi invaded the pitch against England and now this issue. What is ICC doing...such players should be banned atleast for a year...he has shamed his country...Good he has not been selected for IPL.

make ball tampering legal. who cares if the ball is swinging after 50 overs. it will balance the match between bat and ball. as long as no foreign objects are used who cares. we weill get far more exciting and balanced matches

people like afridi and90%of this pakistan team and the hole managment should be fired right away. pakistan dont need cricket this money can be used to buy suger for normal man on the street.the money these players and managment makes is crime

Afridi only smelled the ball. No, that's not me who is saying that. Those are his words. I always knew he was talented, but had no idea that he could smell with his teeth. "Lying through one's teeth" got a new meaning altogether, thanks to Afridi.

Its very clear now how an ordinary bowler like Umar Gul produced that much reverse swing in T20 world cup final. Can we blame Vettori now?

Afridi is a good captain. Pakistan looked totally different in the last ODI. Getting out of Yosuf's 'timid' captaincy felt really good. I'm saying this for Usman who said that Afridi never batted for more than 20 overs even in an ODI. Given the case of Afridi, his captaincy should not just be linked with his batting. He came as a bowler & that is what he does best. The team looks united under him & the way he lifts his players' attitude is great.

As for disrupting the shape of the ball, that act is very shameful. Pakistan cricket is already in tatters & it is a really bad timing to give the world an opportunity to lift their fingers on us. They must put IPL out of their minds forever. Afridi needs to put himself together. He is still a hero. Humans make mistakes & there is always a tendency to make up for them. Afridi can be the savior we need. Cricket has not ended & its no one's property. Respect the game & u become a respected player. Good luck to Afridi & Pakistan cricket

Thanks to Afridi he changed his minde and he did not eat all, left some for play.

ALL YOU PEOPLE ASKING AFRIDI TO RESIGN JUST CAN NOT COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT HE IS THE BEST ALL-ROUNDER IN THE WORLD

Afridi has let down Pakistan big time. I am truly ashamed and made me cringe when I saw Afridi bite the ball. Pakistan should not tolerate this and PCB should ban him for at least 2 years if not life. I was a big Afridi fan. I dont feel like watching him anymore. I could not believe what I was seeing.

I was at the game.
Security was one security officer standing next to every player that was near the boundary, usually stood within 1 metre, hands behind backs staring at the player.
For the invasion, Khalid Latif was fielding near the circle, there were no fielders behind him, so no security, I think outfielders were fine leg and long on and Latif was in the middle.
However after that incident security was reinforced - with an officer every few metres - very sad if all cricket must be played like this.
Security told us that the intruder continued resisting and the police had to taser him. However although he has a life ban from the WACA, he his only fined $500 which is unacceptable - a large fine plus say a 2 week prison sentence with a criminal record is more deserving.
To the crowds credit, he received a very loud boo as he was being escorted off.
Much credit to the players and Pakistan team for remaining and giving the rest of us supporters the chance to finish the match

This is for the post by Riz Khan about Stuart Broad ball tampering etc etc. That is not professionalism. Because Broad did it and was let go doesn't mean Afridi should be allowed too. Imagine if we follow that rule. If one player does wrong then it should be allowed for everybody? What kind of professionalism is that. About Shahid Afridi - he is a duffer and always remain a duffer. No wonder that Pak players did not get selected for IPL. If Afridi did that on Indian soild, he would get beaten up. I am glad they are not in IPL. Good for their own safety.

More than my biting the ball, the real issue is the composition of the team. Mohd Yusuf, yunis both r undesrvingly in the team. I will discuss this with the selectors.

This is not being dumb. This is a dileberate action and he should be banned from all kinds of cricket for life. I am a Pakistani and I am humiliated by his actions. Losing a game honestly is far better and exceptable to me than cheating in front of millions of people. Funny how he apologized to the Nation.
Allah help Pakistan and bring them to the straight path. Ameen.

Surely 2 match ban of T20 is letting him off rather easy. Atleast 5 match ban of one day internationals is warranted considering he was previously caught for disturbing the pitch.

Cricket is a team game & the only way afridisque incidents can get nipped in the bud is by the punishment being not only meted out to the indvidual concerned but also to the team...& i am not talking about money as we all know there's pots of that lying with the boards..& Yes i find it 'ludicrous' that Afridi got away with a lighter punishment for "cheating" than India's captain got dished out for "slow over rates"!!..Basically, the ICC (no state secret this) should have someone auditing their ancient laws & by-laws....? George Bush may be given this hallowed task?:)...

I understand Afridi did bad thing and got banned by match referee react very quickly, but why match referee did not take any action against the England players (Stuart broad and Jim Anderson) last month series against south Africa he did ball tampering. Even though the English Ex-player said that this is double standard. Is ICC is belongs to only Indian Cricket Board and white nations.

The Curious Behavior of Dog At Night Time

Everyone has been focussing on Afridi,and in this melee, it seems, no one has noticed the behavior of the bowlers Rana and Asif.

Afridi is chewing the ball in front of them and no one bats an eyelid.

What could be the reason behind this curious behavior of these international players?

Shahid Afridi should be banned for at least a year, lesson for other people. These all 30+ players from pakistani team should be out and gave a chance to young players. Management need to change too.

Man makes Mistakes and Afridi shud learn from his past and not repeat the same again and again...And quitin or resignin from the cricket is not a solution and rules shud be used same on all the cricket teams and strict supervision must be done on all teams.......Not only ASIAN teams and AFRIDI WILL COME BACK WITH THIS TRAUMA SOON HE IS A HARD HITTER AND CRICKET NEEDS HIM ....FORGET THE PAST AND LIVE IN FUTURE

Khalid Latif was generous and able to shrug it off.
if this had happened to a visiting team anywhere in the subcontinent, would the reaction be the same? The WACA is trying to deflect all the blame/attention to the jerk who tackled latif..
why isn't the ground security at the WACA being questioned?
I'm not sure of the ICC rules, but doesn't this breach merit a ban?

its not about accusing pakistan team this happens every time when ever any team visiting australia ,this is tactics played very carefully from austrlian cricket board

Andrew, of course what happened last time 5 penalty runs were awarded comes to mind. But it worries me that no commentator even mentioned that the umpires seem to have IGNORED the Laws of the game.

Why do we have rules if they aren't to be followed and enforced by the umpires? If the Law is unworkable change it, if not enforce it, there are no other options.

What was he thinking?
He was thinking- he is a T20 world champion, he can get away with, anything he does.

what afridi does shows his dignity, this is what he is all about and why can't anybody think now that,this can be the major reason why all pakistani bowlers are experts in reverse swing

It is truly an embarrassing moment. With cams all around focusing every tiny act being done, none would dare to do such disgusting act. Its better to have him laid-off of the team. But the country shouldn't be blamed in no way as no Board would appreciate such a lunatic act.

Winning or loosing is part of game and player comes and go. I don't know how would Afridi justify to his soul or his coming generation. I am NRI and believe Pakistan is strong cricket nation. Hope Pakistan cricket board and people look more closely to save coming cricket generation from allegations. Please play neat cricket for the sake of country.

It is interesting to compare Pakitan under 19 and senior team. It makes no sense why more under 19 playes are not playing for Pakistan senior team. Afridi has a habit of doing these things and he dont deserve to be Captain. I dont know why people want Younus Khan to become Captain when his performance as a player is poor. I fear for Aamir and Asif if Pakistan continue to play Tess with only 4 front line bowlers. PCB should ban Afridi as he has brought a bad name for the whole country.

BTW, isn't the ball saliva laden by the time he bit into it? You have to give it to him that he would do that to try and get a win!!! Certainly something I would not do.

Afridi used to be one of my favorite players. Not anymore!
I am proud of all Pakistani fans that saw Afridi's action unacceptable. I am disappointed of some Pakistani fans who still argue pointing fingers at other incidents in the past. It is time to wake up for the truth. Afridi disappointed cricket fans around the world. I know he is ashamed of his actions. I think he should retire from cricket as he set a seriously bad example for all young and up coming cricketers world wide.
I am not trying to take the blame away from all other players who have done ball tampering in the past. They should be ashamed too.
But, what Afridi did was so very disgraceful. Biting the ball??? What is next??? Swallowing the bails??? What a shame!

All the best Pakistan Team.... U people can come back strongly in future series

Not to justify the silly actions of Afridi, however, when it comes to Pak cricket its no longer surprise. Their flair goes hand in hand with their self-destructive nature..which kind makes them so intriguing to watch, never knowing what to expect.

Pak is not in a position to overreact, Afridi is the only choice as skipper of this Pak team. For once, the team looked like competing. Yusuf is a good batsman but no leader. Younis is too temperamental. Afridi though erratic, brings positive cricket and mindset - its only when Pak can compete by being ultra agressive!

On the flip side, i think y'day the fan attack on K Latif is a lot more alarming...considering how big an issue the white teams would have reacted if the attack had took place in Asia. Pak did the right thing by playing on, yet there is a double standards....as others would have walked off!! Where Pak were condemned for walking off over the ball tampering row at the Oval, Pak should be commended for remaining...

Given what Afridi did was blatantly wrong,but to me the Rugby tackle by a Aussie Fan on the pakistan player is more serious.The Australian authorities have to take steps to root out such elements or their image will be tarnished.

I am disgraced by this stupid act of an ever iresponsible Afridi. There is no explanation to justify his act and it is shameful for some people to try to justify this by giving examples of other players . Surely he never deserved to lead the pakistani team and sfter this incident he should just be kicked out the national team.

He is no more BOOM BOOM Afridi.. He is now CHOMP CHOMP Afridi.. Bhook lagi hai to maggi khao yaar, cricket ball nahin

Pakistan board should teach or 'coach'their players like Afridi. . . the do's and dont's on a cricket field. How can a captain of an international team give such an execuse? ["i was smelling the ball"]. What the hell does he think, it was so obvious on what he was doing with the ball. He was almost havin' an affair with the cricket ball. He just do not have any maturity to lead a team. After getting thrashed in test and one dayers, here goes another humiliation for Pak cricket, ball tampering!!

These guys can't behave or play properly for their country and they go about talk all non-sense along with a retired monkey (Javed Miandad) about IPL.

VERY SIMPLE! ITS WORTH IT FOR A 2 MATCH BAN

Afridi is the man caught on the camera. But behind the scenes, I wonder if the new BOWLING COACH had anything to do with it. After all he is the MASTER of reverse swing

He deserves to be banned for more games. I say atleast 10.

Interesting debate and as Allan Donald has pointed, every team tampers with the ball. Nevertheless, I don't say ball tampering is an honorable act yet I support the decision to allow the bowlers to choose the kind of ball after 34 overs to bowl with. The rules are tailor made for batsmen and so are the pitches. 20 overs of powerplay with the inclusion of a batting powerplay is nothing but burn the efforts of a bowler! However, one must also see the proverb resting here-Desperate times calls for desperate measure and what Afridi was a desperate attempt to save the country from humiliation. However, Mr. Boom Boom didn't realize that his act could further plunge the country and his fellow team mates to shame. Yet, on the battlefield, the bloke did what he thought was necessary to win the war. I respect Afridi still no matter what he has done. Humbly, I would make a request for ICC to stop the racism. If you don't know what I am pointing at, then Dude! Open your eyes..and get a life! Ciao!

Why is everyone hating on Afridi so much.. these things can happen in the heat of the moment. He got the punishment he deserved so let it be the end of that. His captaincy proved to be quite efficient in my opinion. Even though tampering with the ball is a wrong act, it shows you how badly he wants to win. That's the sort of mentality (to win at any cost) is what makes a team agressive and successful.

Very sad, how about if he would have tried to win the match with his dependable performance, rather than trying for short cuts. Its disappointing that when he had the time and 9.5 overs to perform and score big, he played irresponsibly. He is still a role model for the youngsters, but a real bad one, teaching then that you should win the macth at all costs, to hell with the professionalism and grace to your motherland. Very sad and bad.

Afridi did a stupid thing to try and get a win for his team. He has been punished so get over it.

For all you cricket fans out there, why is it only Pakistan who get punished? How many players from England have been caught tampering with the ball? Did anything happen to them? NO. I rest my case.

Haa.. haa.. haaa. He was so hungry.. and thought it was a Mango!!

I m a big fan of boom-boom. But what he did is really unacceptable. he is d most experienced player in d pak side n now d right time come 4 him to take responsibility of team. I hope dat god give him some patience . i want to be him as pak captain but after dis incident i dont think so dat it happens. Come on boom-boom come out 4m dis , u r the ideal of many cricket lovers. i hope 4 his gud future.

Ehh.. Doesn't Afridi get anything to eat??

what the heck afridi is thinking and he blamed the whole world saying everyone does it, so senseless. he should have been a life suspension not just 2 matches. Pakistan cricket team should shut their mouth and start playing cricket as sport. What a Bunch of Clowns their whole team is!!! GOOD LUCK TO PLAY CRICKET.

2 match T20 ban for ball tampering when people get banned for 2ODI's/1 test match for slow over rates? Ridiculous! this is like getting a 2-race ban from the Tour De France after testing positive. WE HAVE TO START A PETITION TO GET THE BAN INCREASED TO AT LEAST A YEAR-IT SHOULD BE MADE INTO A LESSON.

The guy is full of himself.Whenever he takes a wicket he starts showing off.He regularly lets his team down by playing reckless stokes.He is nothing but one hit wonder.His batting and onfield behaviour clearly shows his brain is in his backside.How dumb and stupid can one get?He must be hungry by the way he was chewing the ball.God help him and Pakistan.Every thing seems to be going well for them.What next?

One of the most over rated players to play for Pakistan, i think he is just a gambler, keeps belting the ball here and there, i would rate him a good bowler, as far as his actions, i think pakistani's should not make there cricketers hero's so soon, couple of good matches they walk as if they the world's best lot, look at Umar Gul, Rana, i mean they are ok bowlers, but they make it look like they are Glen..............lets face it, we can never be the best side, Aussies deserve to be No 1, we might just have one or 2 good days, but the consistency will never be there, Aussies are complete cricketrs, fielding, batting, bowling.........i would love to watch all aspects of there game, even pay to watch them...........we can never be like them, till we take each and every aspect of the game seriously.
disappointed Indian fan over the years.

Why again wasin and waqar being discussed?? the whole of india cannt give birth to one wasim or waqar... respect them for their art...
Afridi should have thought of twice before doing it.. in sane literally.. made us so much angry.. he is the only hope left for pak cricket.

I feel bad what afridi done, But why people only target pakistani's. We forget about other captains Atherton and Mr Waugh and others. One I say we want afridi as a captain cause he want to win every game which we don't find in any other captain. he did stupid thing can't ignore that but he is the best and only captain we have right now I saw the last mataches and other matches he captain he have leadership inside which every one can see. please afridi use your head you can be the best.

shahid afridi..we love you as best cricket player..shahid afridi you ruless...we support you in everyway..

This is a action of a common desprate man who wants to win somehow never thinks about the consequence, status, displine and truth. Afridi can cross to break any rules just to win, I have seen him clearly chucking the ball to get more speed once bowling to Jadeja. He has murdered the very sporting spirit with in him (I wonder whether if had) oneand his fans. I dont know how he will look upto the crowd next time when he walks onto the field. On the other hand why sub-cont cricketer always gets the punishement? very fast. What happen to Stuart Board vs SA match he also did ball tampering?... nothing he just walks out freely bcos of his father and a Englishman. Why double this standards.

A 2 match suspension for deliberate and twice repeated ball-tampering that this Shahid Afridi even agreed to ?! Its amazing how he got away with such a light sentence. Such an experienced cricketer should know that such behaviour is unacceptable. Already in the past, we knew he was a cheat when he tried to scruff the pitch and was caught doing that. This time he's gone too far..and then to think that he cribs about not being picked for the IPL. Such a cricketer should be banned from cricket to show to the rest of the world that cheating will not be tolerated.

All these people talking about afridi this act are foolish. last year when two english bowlers did the same and even it was shown much times on screens, at that time the commentator also said that if these were pakistanis, these would have punished before ending of the match... but noting was done with them. where was icc and you people at that time? i ask you all the people commenting on this topic, why u not suggesting them to retire?

Some people are saying that he is a very talented player but I am not agree with them. Please look his record, he is playing cricket for last 14 years and had played almost 300 odi. he has very ordinary batting average of 23.17. he is better bowler then batsmen but a very spoiled and stupid cricketer. I hope PCB will punish him with life ban

I don't think any one can change the shape/condition of ball by biting/chewing/licking/smelling whatever said?(Surely shoe spikes will do - Broad's & Co? listening). I like to give benefit of doubt to Afridi.

Yes . I think that Afridi is a good captain beause he took the team to a hight of succeses

Shahid Afridi is a veteran; one just can't assume that he did not know about the cameras.There is much more to it than meets the eye. There should be a thorough investigation by PCB. This act has further damaged the reputation of Pakistani cricket.
As far as the rugby tackle by the spectator goes,ICC needs to take action and ban the venue for at least 1 year.

Afridi gets a ban and Stuart Broad gets nothing?!?!?!?!

Afridi has a history of acting stupidly on lots of occasions. The guy is not mature yet after playing that much crickey. I am not that optimistic that he will ever be. Though he has leadership qualities, he can not be a good captain. PCB should also fine Afridi, because his actions has given bad name to the whole country.

Apple is good for health !

With so many prying eyes of technology closely monitoring everything that goes on the field it was dumb thing to do. Not to mention the fact that Afridi was lucky that Chris Broad wasn't the match referee and get away with two match ban. He wasn't trying to use his nail which could have been spinned into saying was trying to remove dirt, etc. He was very deliberately digging his teeth probably trying to bite the ball back in shape.

What was he thinking...! What was he doing...! The entire scene was looking like it was a drama. We will have to check connection of this with IPL. Afridi is not a kid. He knows everything. There are so many cameras, microphones and other advanced equipments fitted around these days when an international match goes on. Afridi must have done that with some reason. In short I want to say that was a planned attempt. For what reason..! We will have to find out.

Pedant, it's actually Oxonian (not Oxfordian). Did they not mention that on the tour bus?

1. I'm glad others are raising questions about Stuart Broad's treading on the ball in SA. I don't know why the officials and teams decided not to proceed further, although clearly some of the SA players didn't agree with the "official" position.

2. For those asking about "why hasn't WACA been banned?": the issue certainly is not yet closed, and further action may well be taken.
As an Australian, I would be very sad to see the WACA banned - but if that is what is needed to get the spectators to behave, and realise that hosting international games is a privilege not a right, then I am for it.

To those reminding us about Kotla's ban: remember that the ban was for their *second* transgression, so perhaps WACA will be given the same leeway as Kotla?
I don't know.

I was interested in the comments from someone who was in attendance; it seems there was significant security already, but that's obviously not enough anymore.

To Pakistan and K Latif, I offer sincere apologies.

No problem, its the part of the game, and life as well, you did wrong, you admitted and got a punishment, that's all.

From Imran Khan to Afridi we are going from top to bottom. Our team need upright and decent Captains and not jokkers. After all they represent our nation in world.

Afridi must be punished at big level. He thinks himself a hero, but reality is that he is just a lucky person who got place in Pakistan team.

He must be punished and removed from pakistan team,as he has created a bad name for the country.

Well commented by all the folks here. Of course Afridi is guilty for the act but it is not the first time and alone by Afridi, almost every seasoned player has done it in his career. However, how can the folks relate this to his captaincy and leadership skills. Before blaming anything on his skills, dont forget Afridi was and is the only player in the world cricket who did magics and miracles in almost every department of cricket. PCB and Pakistan cannot afford cricket without AFRIDI. Above all sports are for entertainment and we cannot compare any other entertainment in the world with Afridi's wrath on the creese over the bowlers especially if they are INDIANS.
Cheers

no problem its a part of game he is only eager to win for win at any cost so thats why he have commited that mistake.after all he is the great cricketer in the world and also big asset for pakistan he must be the captain in future

ONLY HOPE FOR PAKISTAN CRICKET I SEE IS Shane Warne AS COACH AND afridi AS CAPTAIN. FIRE THE OLD PLAYERS AND BUILD A YOUNG TEAM. COACH SHOULD SELECT A TEAM LIKE IN FOOTBALL.

Afridi is a great player, he has beeen punished Please close the chapter, let him play lot of cricket has to come out him.

I always did think that Afridi is not Captain material.He seems to be one of those players who I thought would be a better performer if he's not Captain. There were many good players who were not fortune enough to Captain their country,
I lost my faith in him ever since he pivoted on the wkt against England.That also made the headlines for the wrong reasons and so has this,this one being the worst as Captain.
I think when the new management comes in they should strip him from Captaincy and say to him that he should leave his childlike behaviour at home, because when these players wear the Pakistan blazer, they are representing their country with the greatest respect.
Not every good cricketer who has talent,gets the opportunity to represent Pakistan,such is life.
Abdul Razzaq is the rite man to Captain Pakistan in both ODI and T/20 and they need to speak to Younus Khan for Test Captaincy,becoz PCB have invested in Younus for long timet and he has vast experience to lead the country.

Afridi is a very good and winning player. Specially when he is in good touch, treat to watch his strokes. He improved a lot in spin bowling, because his opponent team always afraid from his bowl that hit stump between gate of bat/pad. About ball tempering this is not first time from any pakistani. We have support him.

In my opinion it was well planned move. Afridi made handsome money from this move and handed over the captaincy to Shoaib Malik who is supported by the match fixing mafia.

Afridi had done mistake and he accept it openly. Obviously he took wrong and deceptive approach for winning and he has been punished and banned as well for 2 T20's. Now i believe he is really a team player and in this worst situation of Pakistan team, he is the only player who can team the entire team, he is the only one who can raise team moral. We should forget Afridi mistake and looking forward to T20 world cup.

Well, this information on pakistani bowlers for you guys who think afridi should b ashamed.
In pakistan ball tampering is not an issue at all when they play domestic cricket, cos they want the ball to make movement, when they are in such level, even when it comes to international, there prominence to ball tampering is lesser than all other international sides.
But i don lik to say what afridi did was right, but it would be better if they could just deal with it and play international with its rules.
I being indian love the way palistani's do play jus love their cricket, i hope pakistani's wil come back for the world t20 and llift it again!!