South Africa vs Pakistan: PCB expresses disappointment at ICC's suspension of Sarfaraz Ahmed over racist remark row

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday expressed "utmost disappointment" over International Cricket Council's (ICC) decision to suspend skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed for his racist remark towards South Africa pacer Andile Phehlukwayo.

PCB's reaction comes hours after the ICC suspended Sarfaraz for four matches after he accepted that he was in breach of the ICC’s Anti-Racism Code for Participants.

File image of Sarfaraz Ahmed. AP

As per the Anti-Racism Code, Sarfaraz will also be required to undergo an education programme to understand the issue.

After the ICC ruling, a miffed PCB, in a series of tweets hit back at the international body, writing that the issue was "resolved amicably between the two players and the two Boards following Sarfaraz Ahmed’s public apologies which were accepted by the player, the Board and South Africa cricket team."

“The PCB notes the ICC decision on Sarfaraz Ahmed with its utmost disappointment. PCB had anticipated that the matter had been resolved amicably between the two players and the two Boards following Sarfaraz Ahmed’s public apologies which were accepted by the player, the Board and South Africa cricket team," PCB said in its statement.

“The PCB will be pursuing this matter at the ICC forums with the objective to bring reforms to the Code, promoting amicable resolutions to issues as opposed to penalties. Having said that, the PCB reiterates its zero-tolerance approach towards racist comments and behavior.

“In consultation with Sarfaraz, it has been decided that he will return to Pakistan immediately. Shoaib Malik will captain the team for the remaining ODIs and T20 internationals of the series, while Mohammad Rizwan has been included in the T20I side.”

Meanwhile, senior player Shoaib Malik has been appointed stand-in Pakistan skipper for the remainder of the South Africa tour.