02 February,2010 02:49 PM IST | | Agencies
Former Australia captain Allan Border has flayed the two-match ban imposed on Shahid Afridi, saying the Pakistani all-rounder, being a 'serial offender', deserved a sterner punishment.
"It wasn't enough given that he's been a bit of a serial offender in front of ICC disciplinary committees," Border said on Fox Sports show 'Inside Cricket'.
Incidentally, Afridi's former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq had earlier said that the all-rounder was lucky to have escaped with a two-match ban when it could have been much more.
Afridi, who was slapped a four-ODI ban in 2007 for trying to hurt a spectator in South Africa and was also banned in 2005 for damaging pitch in Faisalabad, was caught on camera biting the ball during Pakistan's fifth and final ODI against Australia in Perth.
Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle subsequently banned him from two Twenty20 Internationals but Border felt the punishment was inadequate.
"You've got to send a strong message out that you just don't want this sort of stuff happening on field," said the Australian.
"(Send a warning to players that) you're not going to get away with it, (there were) 26 cameras at the ground or something like that so yeah, (I think it was) very underdone as far as that penalty (goes)," Border said.