Pakistan national team captain Sarfraz Ahmed stirred a massive controversy on Tuesday with his alleged racist comment aimed at South Africa’s Andile Phehlukwayo during their second ODI match in Durban.
According to a clip widely shared on social media, Sarfraz called South Africa’s Andile Phehlukwayo ‘kaala (black)’ and allegedly made derogatory reference his mother.
Here is the video:
Sarfaraz Ahmed to Andile Phehlukwayo:
“abbay kaale teri Ami kahan bethi hoyi hain aaj, kya parhwa kay aya hai aaj”
“black man wheres your mother sat? What have you asked your mother to pray for you today?”#SAvPAK pic.twitter.com/vw6yuE73OE
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) January 22, 2019
During the second ODI between South Africa and Pakistan, when the on-air commentators Mike Haysman asked Ramiz Raja for the translation, the latter evaded a direct reply, saying: “Difficult really to translate that. It’s a big long sentence.”
The Pakistan skipper could face sanctions from the International Cricket Council (ICC). The match officials could also initiate disciplinary action against Sarfraz Ahmed as his remark may fall under their anti-racism code.
As per ICC’s Anti-Racism Policy for International Cricket- 1 October 2012, the International Cricket Council and all its members should “not at any time offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage, vilify or unlawfully discriminate between persons based on their race, religion, culture, colour, descent, and/or national or ethnic origin (inappropriate racist conduct)”.