Internet Desk: Pakistan Cricket team captain Sarfraz Ahmed said he had turned down a remunerative offer of a bookie in Dubai during their ongoing limited overs series against Sri Lanka. He further said just after the incident he informed everything to the anti-corruption and security unit officials too.
The whole Pakistan team management looked in deep shock after this incident and the anti-corruption as well as the security officials have travelled with the team in the UAE, as they thought that banning Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif for spot-fixing in Pakistan Super League might have stopped this, but they were wrong.
“The matter has been handled as per standard procedure but there is a lot of respect for Sarfraz, who as a captain and player, has set a great example for his teammates on how to avoid attempts to corrupt the game,” an official of the Pakistan Cricket Board said on condition of anonymity.
“ICC rules don’t allow us to name player (s) in such cases where approaches are reported but yes Sarfraz got an offer and he immediately reported the matter to the concerned officials, who have taken appropriate action,” he added.
Incidentally the man who made the verbal offer to the Pakistani captain is based in Dubai and is learnt to be known to the players.
An official in the PCB said that the team management has increased vigilance of players and reset curfew timings.
“On the insistence of head coach Mickey Arthur, there was a bit of relaxation for the players during the ongoing series in the UAE and they were allowed to meet friends and go out for shopping and dinners but now strict procedures and timings have been enforced again,” the official said.
The PCB had already changed the hotel of the national team in Dubai following the PSL spot-fixing scandal earlier this February which rocked Pakistan cricket.
The PCB’s anti-corruption tribunal banned Sharjeel and Khalid for five years after both were found guilty of beaching anti-corruption code during the PSL and were sent back home from Dubai.