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- Controversy in the 2005 Test against England in Faisalabad
- Tried to spoil the pitch with his feet, banned for three matches
- Afridi admits after 17 years – ‘What he did was wrong’
Shahid Afridi was banned for one Test and two One Day Internationals in 2005 for tampering with the Faisalabad pitch. After 17 years he recalled the incident and said that what he did was wrong.
Tampering with the pitch in the Test against England
In 2005, the Pakistan team was embroiled in controversies regarding the Faisalabad Test match against England. Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi was banned for attempting to spoil the pitch with his feet. Afridi was also suspended for one Test and two ODIs for this mistake. After 17 years, Afridi opened up about the incident and said that this mistake was made by him.
After 17 years, Afridi realized his mistake
“I was trying my best and nothing was happening,” Afridi said on Sam TV. Then suddenly the gas cylinder exploded and everyone’s attention was drawn to it. I told Shoaib Malik that my heart wants me to make a patch here, the ball should turn. Malik replied to me, ‘Kar de koi nahi dekh hai’.
What was done was wrong: Afridi
Afridi further said, ‘So I did it and whatever happened after that is a thing of the past. Now that I look back, I think I did wrong. Afridi has played 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 99 T20 Internationals for Pakistan. Afridi was also banned for two T20 Internationals in 2010 for ball tampering.