Players Involved In Fixing Shooting Themselves In Foot - Sarfraz Ahmed

Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, on Tuesday, said that the players are only hurting themselves by indulging themselves in malpractices like spot-fixing.

Al Jazeera’s recent documentary on fixing in cricket has rocked the entire cricketing world and Pakistan has not been spared either. In their latest documentary,  the news outlet claimed that four international matches involving Pakistan were spot-fixed.

The PCB recently banned their former opener Nasir Jamshed for ten years for his involvement in spot-fixing. The left-handed opener, who once scored three back to back ODI hundreds against India, was found guilty by the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Tribunal of spot-fixing, betting, failing to disclose offers of money, accepting offers of bribe, consenting to corruption and encouraging other players — during the second season of the Pakistan Super League in early 2017.

Anti Corruption Case Update: Cricketer Nasir Jamshed banned for 10 years by Anti Corruption Tribunal.
Details to follow.

— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) August 17, 2018

Al Jazeera’s documentary also showed pictures of top cricketers with an alleged match- and spot-fixing facilitator. One of the pictures showed Umar Akmal peering into a bag handed to him by an associate of the facilitator.

When asked about all this, Sarfraz Ahmed blamed the players. He also insisted that the PCB is trying its best by educating players on anti-corruption.

“The PCB plays its part by organizing anti-corruption lectures for us,” Sarfraz said. “I have been in the PCB’s auspices since 2006. I have been taking lectures in Under-19, Pakistan A, and since when I joined the Pakistan team. The players have to be responsible. They know what is right and what is wrong. Despite that, if they indulge in such activities, they are shooting themselves in the foot.”

However, Sarfraz was quick to defend cricketers who pose with strangers – portraying themselves as fans requesting photographs.

“It is not a fault of a player if a stranger, who later turns out to be a crook, asks for a picture and he poses with him for it. If we don’t pose for one, we are labeled to be arrogant,” he said while talking to reporters ahead of the first T20I against Australia.

Meanwhile, the PCB has called Al-Jazeera’s allegations as “unsubstantiated”.