Pakistan's World Cup hopes suffered a jolt after their cavalier all-rounder Shahid
Afridi was today banned for four one-dayers for bringing the game into disrepute.
Afridi was charged with a Level 3 offence after an incident
which took place following the batsman's dismissal during the first ODI against
South Africa at Centurion on February 4.
As the player walked up a set of stairs towards the dressing
room, a spectator apparently said something to him and Afridi reacted by appearing
to push his bat at the person in an aggressive manner, causing the spectator
to take evasive action.
The disciplinary hearing took place today in Cape Town and
was be presided over by ICC Match Referee for the series, Chris Broad.
"I took into account what I considered to be the mitigating circumstances
of a spectator in close proximity to the player shouting at him as he returned
to the dressing room," Broad said in a statement.
"I also spoke to the spectator in question ahead of the hearing to get
his version of events.
"However, I found it impossible to escape the conclusion
that Afridi's actions were a clear threat to that spectator and had that person
not taken evasive action then the bat would almost certainly have hit him."
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