National cricket team captain Sarfraz Ahmed’s return to Pakistan was delayed on Monday.
Sarfraz was scheduled to reach Karachi from South Africa tonight, however, he will now return on Tuesday evening.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had decided to immediately call back Sarfraz from South Africa after the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended him from four matches for breaching their anti-racism code for his remarks against South Africa’s Andile Phehlukwayo.
During the second ODI in Durban, the Pakistani skipper aimed a comment at Phehlukwayo which was deemed as racist and resulted in him being charged with an offence under the ICC’s anti-racism code.
Sarfraz has been suspended from the remaining two matches of the ongoing ODI series as well as the first two matches of the T20I series to follow.
Shoaib Malik will captain the team in the remaining two matches of the ongoing ODI series against South Africa and in the upcoming the T20I series. Mohammad Rizwan is replacing Sarfraz as the wicket-keeper in the matches.
According to sources, Sarfraz departed Johannesburg for Cape Town along with the national cricket team on Monday afternoon. Sarfraz has to take part in a shoot for a Pakistan Super League affiliated company in Cape Town.
“Sarfraz will leave Cape Town for Johannesburg at 1am (PST) and reach Karachi via Dubai on Tuesday evening,” sources said.
Pakistan, who are currently playing a five-match one-day series in South Africa, will play Twenty20 matches in Cape Town on February 1, Johannesburg on February 3 and at Centurion on February 6.
