Lahore, Oct 19: South African captain Graeme Smith has asked his teammates to keep discipline after Pakistan's ace fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was banned for a test and two one day internationals by ICC for on-field misbehaviour.
"Smith had a talk with players yesterday and urged them to keep discipline on the filed," the South African team's media spokesman said.
The action against Shoaib by the International Cricket Council followed an earlier incident last week when Smith and fellow all-rounder Andrew Hall were punished for similar reasons.
Hall was barred from two tests and one limited overs match while Smith was banned from appearing in the final series decider one-dayer. The visitors won the one-day series 3-2.
Hall apparently elbowed Pakistan's Yousuf Youhana in his follow through during the second one-day match in Lahore earlier this month.
Both traded insults and the intervening Smith was also charged with using abusive language. Youhana was fined 50 per cent of his match fee.
Bureau Report