CSA confirm incident, Phangiso apologises

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Cricket South Africa have confirmed that they punished spinner Aaron Phangiso for is drunken behaviour on a flight in October last year, but did not specify what the sanctions were.

While the incident happened last October, and the punishment was handed out in November, the news only broke this week in newspaper Rapport, forcing CSA to air the matter and clarify what happened.

Phangiso was punished after being drunk on a flight after the tour to India, and was misbehaving while in team kit, and was detained at the airport in Dubai until he sobered up.

CSA said: "We confirm that Aaron pleaded guilty to contravening our player code of conduct and has been sanctioned. The punishment for that incident was handed out last year, and that issue is now in the past."

For his part, Phangiso apologised for his behaviour on the flight from Mumbai to Dubai, saying he understood why airport staff would not let him board the plane in the UAE.

He said: "We were celebrating a one-day series win in one of the toughest places to play, and I obviously had one too many drinks.

"The Emirates staff in Dubai explained that I had to stay behind and sober up, and I completely understand their reasons."

Whether this has any impact on Phangiso being picked for the World Twenty20, in India in March, remains to be seen. He has not played for the Proteas since the tour in question in October.

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