Harbhajan Singh: In the eye of a storm

Karachi: Former Pakistan captains on Sunday said off-spinner Harbhajan Singh should be banned for a long period for allegedly slapping pacer Sreesanth during a Indian Premier League match on Friday. In Australia, the media reacted with delight.

Zaheer ‘Zed’ Abbas and Rashid Latif have no doubt that an example needed to be set so that other players do not dare to repeat the same. The tweaker faces an inquiry which could result in a ban.

“This is an unprecedented incident. I don’t know what provoked Harbhajan to behave the way he did. But in cricket these things must not be tolerated. He must be banned and not for just one or two games,” Zaheer said.

He said incidents of players misbehaving with each other were growing in cricket and needed to be stamped out.

“I think the boards also must share the blame for this situation. There have been some instances where players have got away with light sentences.”

Latif blamed the BCCI for the incident. “For sometime now it has ignored blatant provocative actions by its players against opposing teams. Aggression is good in cricket but when players are given a free hand this is what happens.”

The former wicketkeeper said the ICC Code of Conduct had failed to have the desired effect. “I just think that the entire system of disciplining players under the Code of Conduct is flawed. The match referees are former players and have a soft corner for fellow players and the boards also try to ensure their players don’t get penalised too harshly. The Sydney Test in Australia is an example,” he said.

Latif said there was a need for the ICC and boards to have an independent tribunal to deal with serious offence without getting dictated by anyone.