The stand-in Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has been banned for two Twenty20 internationals after being found guilty of ball-tampering during Pakistan's two-wicket loss to Australia in Perth last night.
Afridi was caught on TV cameras apparently biting the ball on a couple of occasions.
The incident was reported to the on-field umpires by the TV umpire and after a chat with Afridi, the umpires changed the ball immediately.
Afridi told a Pakistan TV channel that he did tamper with the ball, but added the practice was common among all teams.
The match was further marred when a ground invader tackled Pakistan fieldsman Khalid Latif to the ground in the 47th over.
Latif was unhurt in the incident and laughed it off but it cast a deep shadow over the match.
Mike Hussey (40 not out off 46 balls), Nathan Hauritz (18 off 20 balls) and Ryan Harris (two not out) ensured Australia got over the line with four balls and two wickets to spare after Ricky Ponting's 55 set up the innings.
But it was Afridi's bizarre biting incident that had everyone talking.
Afridi, who claimed two for 31 from his 10 overs, was banned for one Test and two one-dayers in 2005 for scraping his boots on the pitch in a Test against England and could now face a hefty suspension for ball tampering.
