Irfan pushed Marvin Harper with his hockey stick from behind about 12 minutes from fulltime and was shown the first red card of the tournament. -Photo by AFP

NEW DELHI: Pakistan defender Mohammad Irfan has been suspended for three international matches after deliberately pushing a South Africa player in the Commonwealth Games field hockey competition on Tuesday.

Team manager Khawaja Junaid told The Associated Press that Irfan appeared before the jury of the tournament and was found guilty of a Level II offense.

Irfan pushed Marvin Harper with his hockey stick from behind about 12 minutes from fulltime and was shown the first red card of the tournament.

South Africa went on to equalize in regulation time before Justin Reid scored a golden goal to clinch fifth position.

Junaid said Irfan might serve his ban before the next month’s Asian Games as Pakistan has planned some warm-up matches.