Behave or else, Pakistan players told

'Asif unnecessarily crossed the line. Since the International Cricket Council (ICC) code of conduct is tough, players have been told to maintain discipline' - Talat Ali © Getty Images

Pakistan have warned players to behave or face stiff penalties after an incident involving vice-captain Mohammad Asif in their one-day series against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi.

Asif was reprimanded by match referee Javagal Srinath for taunting Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene after dismissing him in the third and final match of the series on Tuesday.

Asif, who went down the pitch and glared at Jayawardene, was fined 50% of his match fee. Srinath said the penalty was lenient because it was a first offence but that Asif's attitude would remain under observation.

"Asif unnecessarily crossed the line. Since the ICC Code of Conduct is tough, players have been told to maintain discipline," team manager Talat Ali said. "Players who do not will also face penalties from the Pakistan Cricket Board as it has decided to deal with disciplinary matters on its own," added Ali, who is also interim coach after the death of Bob Woolmer at the World Cup in Jamaica.

"We have suffered great losses through bans on the players in the recent past so players need to control themselves on and off the field."

The most recent example was Pakistan's inability to play Shahid Afridi for the first two matches of the World Cup after he was slapped with a four-match ban during Pakistan's tour of South Africa in February.

Afridi threatened to hit an abusive spectator with his bat while walking back to the pavilion. Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was banned for four matches after he refused to take the field in protest at ball-tampering allegations during the Oval Test against England in August last year. The ban forced Inzamam to miss the Champions Trophy held in India in October. Without Inzamam, Pakistan won only one of their three matches.