Ehsan Mani terms ICC ban on Sarfraz Ahmed as ‘bureaucratic process’

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed was handed a four-match suspension by ICC for breaching the Anti-Racism Code for Participants. The 31-year-old cricketer passed racist comments towards South African all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo during the second ODI against the Proteas earlier this month. Now, Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ehsan Mani has taken a jibe at the International Cricket Council by saying that they have imposed a ban on the Pakistan captain through a mere ‘bureaucratic process’.

“This is my issue that they sat on it. Our statements and apologies were public. This is not something you brush under the table, it has to be dealt with openly and transparently. We did all of that. But because ICC couldn’t get the two players in a room together, they said let’s charge him. And that to my mind is utter nonsense.

“Why this bureaucratic process that it didn’t go exactly according to the book in terms of reconciliation with an ICC mediator? We don’t need an ICC mediator. So very seriously, we will push on this because somewhere common sense was overruled by bureaucratic process,” Mani told ESPNCricinfo in a recent interview.

Mani added that the governing body should not have charged Ahmed since the apologies were made face-to-face between the players and conveyed publicly and were accepted at the board level and at the management level as well.

“So as far as we were concerned, an apology had been tendered and accepted and the only question was whether Sarfaraz deserved any punishment. I had already said we should pull Sarfaraz out for 2-3 games. I felt very strongly that this has to be a strong message for everyone,” Mani added.

Mani further went on to add that the ICC had offered a reconciliation process to Andile Phehlukwayo which involved an ICC mediator, as per the anti-racism code who is appointed to resolve such disputes. But Phehlukwayo refused the offer which implied that everyone could move on.

“We had cleared the air. So common sense should have meant that was the end of the matter. We made an apology at all levels and it had been accepted by everyone. We have a good relationship with CSA. For the ICC to jump in because Phehlukwayo was upset and didn’t want a reconciliation process, [and to feel they] have to charge Sarfaraz, that’s where I think a bit of nonsense comes into this. What else can you achieve by sitting them in a room? They’re not school children,” Mani said.