PCB rules out appealing against ban on Afridi

Lahore, Feb 11 (UNI) The Pakistan Cricket Board will not appeal against the four-ODI ban handed out to all-rounder Shahid Afridi for swinging his bat at a spectator during the first one-dayer against South Africa in Durban.

Afridi was caught on camera when he pointed his bat at a fan, who shouted at him when he was returning to the pavillion after getting out.

Afridi could have attracted a ban of between two and four Test matches or between four and eight ODIs, but he was not handed the maximum penalty because of the ''mitigating circumtances''.

The flamboyant right-hander was found guilty of breaching the ICC code of conduct in a hearing yesterday and was banned, ending his hopes of playing in atleast the first two matches of the World Cup.

PCB Director Cricket Operations, Salim Altaf told 'The Dawn' that the board will not try to get the ban lifted and also hinted that Afridi may not be a certainity for the big event starting next month in West Indies.

''The selectors have to handover the World Cup squad to the board by February 12 and only they will decide about Afridi,'' Mr Altaf said.

UNI