Afridi defends ball-biting, says every team tampers with ball

PERTH - Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi has tried to defend the notorious ball biting episode in Perth against Australia by saying that all cricketing teams tamper with the ball anyway.

“I was just trying to help the bowler. There is no team in the world that doesn’t tamper with the ball but my approach was wrong. I was frustrated because the Pakistan team hasn’t won any match for quite some time. I am not a fast bowler who would tamper the ball,” the Herald Sun quoted Afridi, 29, as saying.

After being banned for two Twenty20 internationals by the ICC, Afridi apologised for his conduct.

“I am embarrassed - I have made a mistake. I apologise to all and everyone involved in the match and to the fans around the world. This will never happen again. Being the captain I should have been a role model for my players which I was not but I hope I will be forgiven,” he said.

But it is hardly the first time the man nicknamed “Boom Boom” has had a brain explosion during an international cricket match.

He famously used his spikes to rough up the pitch in a Test against England at Faisalabad in 2005 after a gas cylinder in a drinks dispenser had blown up and diverted attention from the playing field.

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam said Afridi’s behaviour was “unacceptable”.

“Being a captain you should be above everything but unfortunately it’s happened,” he said.

The Afridi incident was just the latest drama on Pakistan’s disastrous tour, the tourists being swept in both the three-Test and five-match one-day series. (ANI)