Shoaib Akhtar hopes for minimal punishment for skipper Sarfraz Ahmed

Former Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar was very critical in his views on the racial slur that has hit the Pakistani team. Their captain, Sarfraz Ahmed, was infamously caught on the stump microphone passing a racial comment on a South African batsman. The incident took place during the second ODI of the ongoing series between the two sides.

The Pakistani side were down and out in the game, and their only chance of succeeding was to pick wickets, as they were defending just over 200. Amidst this backdrop, South African batter Andile Phehlukwayo kept riding his luck with aerial shots. Most of the shots fell in no man’s land and he continued to remain unbeaten to see his side home.

When the batter was onsong, Sarfraz was heard mocking the batsman as he passed on a racial remark. The remark was heard on the mic and the commentators asked Ramiz Raja to translate the same on air. Playing absolutely safe, Ramiz ignored the question. However, the damage was done.

After the game, Sarfraz Ahmed issued an apology on his social media handle and remarked that he did not intend to hurt anyone, and his remarks came out in the heat of the moment, and he did not mean them.

It remains to be seen as to how grave the issue turns out to be and how the cricket boards take this further in terms of disciplinary action. As the decision is awaited, Shoaib Akhtar took to Twitter to express his concern on the issue. Akhtar, in his tweet, remarked that the Pakistani team needs Sarfraz for the World Cup 2019, and hence, he is praying for a minimal punishment for the wicketkeeper-batsman.

There has been no official wording on the issue from either of the cricket boards, or from the ICC.

Here is what Shoaib Akhtar tweeted:

“I really hope that our captain gets away with minimal punishment out of this recent episode bcoz we need him for the coming World Cup as captain,” Shoaib Akhtar wrote in his tweet.

I really hope that our captain gets away with minimal punishment out of this recent episode bcoz we need him for the coming World Cup as captain ..

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) January 23, 2019

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