Former Pakistan cricketers want corruption out
Pakistan’s cricketing greats have called for reforms to be introduced in the countries cricket setup, following International Cricket Council decision regarding the recent spot-fixing scandal.
Pakistan cricket has been under the spot-light for sometime as three of their key players have been found guilty of spot-fixing. The players namely Salman Butt, Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Amir have been banned from playing cricket.
Butt, former Test captain, has received 10-years while Amir and Asif have been banned for five and seven years respectively. These three players were accused of bowling no-balls deliberately in a Test match that was played against England
in 2010 at Lords.
They conspired with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mazhar-c75448 Majeed, who is a British bookie, in the spot-fixing betting scam. The players were paid money for bowling no-balls at a specific time of the match. However, the British police investigators uncovered the activity
and charged them with corruption.
The players are ordered to appear before the court on 17 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/March-c74391, 2010.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zaheer-Abbas-c98435, a former Captain and manager of the Pakistan team, said, “Pakistan’s cricket image is tainted badly. But on the other hand the latest bans give us a last chance to root out corruption and indiscipline from our cricket or else
we might be thrown out of international cricket."
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wasim-Akram-c96292, former Pakistan Captain, stated that it is a blow for the men-in-green. He felt sorry for 18-year old Amir, who according to many cricketing legends is one of the brightest future prospects of the game.
Wasim believed that it is a lesson for cricketer’s not just the Pakistani players but for players all around the world. He also hoped that the ICC stands by their decision and helps in making this game corruption free.
The ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board are collaborating together to keep a check on any player involved in any illegal activity. The PCB has introduced harsh punishments in annual contracts for players found engaging in such activities.
The PCB has also ignored some players for the ICC World Cup 2011 squad, those who have been tainted by the ICC allegations. For domestic cricket they have also introduced anti-corruption lectures and corruption codes.
Imran Khan, who captained the World Cup winning squad in 1992, is still not satisfied with the cricket system in his country. He said, “Our cricket system is wrong.”
He further said, “The chairman of the PCB should be an elected person held accountable for all such incidents.”
He believed that the Chairman PCB is concerned about being removed as the Chairman bans key players the team will lose and as a consequence of that he will lose his post as well.
Many former players believed that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Salim-c88143 Malik
was banned for life. While certain other players were fined.
Amongst the fined players were, fast bowler Wasim Akram, Pakistan’s coach Waqar Younis, right-handed batsmen Inzaman-ul-Haq, leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed and opening batsman Saeed Anwar.
Qayyum said that the inquiry could have served as a way to reform the cricket as he advised the Board to keep a close eye on players. However, his recommendations were ignored.
Iqbal Qasim, former spinner and head of the National Bank team, asserted that the decision is upsetting. He concludes that the three players were the future of Pakistan cricket and that it is a jolt for Pakistani cricket. All three players
were also a part of National Bank team in domestic matches.
He felt that all three players fell victim to a trap set-up by Majeed and that they could have earned much more playing International cricket.
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