Shahid Afridi tampering ball : Video

Shahid Afridi tampering ball : Video
Video of Shahid Afridi tampering with cricket ball, he was blatantly chewing on the ball

Slapped with a two-match ban for ball tampering in the final ODI in Perth, Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi on Sunday apologised and said he would never commit the mistake again.

“I’m ashamed of myself. I shouldn’t have done such an act. It happened in the heat of the moment. I apologise for my mistake,” Afridi said.

Afridi was banned for two Twenty20 Internationals after pleading guilty to a ball-tampering charge during the fifth ODI against Australia by Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle.

Afridi, who led Pakistan in the final ODI in place of the unfit Mohammad Yousuf, was caught on camera chewing on one side of the ball while walking to the run up with bowler Mohammad Asif.

“It was a close match and Pakistan had not won any match. We needed a win and I just wanted to help the fast bowlers. I did it on that spur of moment. I have been banned now and I have learnt my lessons. I will ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Afridi said.

In 2005, Afridi was banned for twisting his spikes and trying to change condition of pitch during a Test match in Faisalabad against England.

Sania Mirzaa Engagement is Called Off

Sania Mirza's engagement called off
28 Jan 2010, 0211 hrs IST, Prajwal Hegde, TNN
BANGALORE: Sania Mirza hasn't had the best of starts to the 2010 season - on and off court. A broken service game is one thing, but a broken engagement or a broken heart, is quite another.

Earlier in the week, the 23-year-old's father Imran, who coaches Sania and manages her career, called off his daughter's engagement to Mohammed Sohrab Mirza. Sania was formally engaged to the fellow Hyderabadi and longtime friend, now studying business in the United Kingdom, at a luxury hotel near her home last July.

The Indian star categorically refused to get into the why and what of the matter, but confirmed her engagement was off. "We were friends for half a decade, but found ourselves incompatible during our engagement period. I wish Sohrab the best in life," she said.

Even before the two got engaged, questions were doing the rounds about whether Mohammed could cope with the demands of being life-partner to a widely-travelled, hugely-popular athlete. Sania, who has been struggling with the differences for the last couple of months, hasn't taken the break-up well as her results on court show. However, she's doing what she always does at a time of crisis - surround herself with family and friends.

As it stands, Sania will have to turn her focus to the courts, and in time might find comfort there. She flies out to Kuala Lumpur late on Friday, where she leads India's challenge in the Fed Cup Asia Oceania Group II competition, starting February 2....................