Former cricketers on Friday slammed Pakistan Cricket Board after Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were provisionally suspended on charges of corruption, saying that the latest development arose due to the wrong example set by the PCB by way of recalling tainted pacer Mohammad Amir to the national team.
Both Sharjeel and Khalid, who were representing Islamabad United in Pakistan Super League second edition in Dubai, were being sent back home by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The Board said that the two players had been suspended as part of an ongoing investigation into an international syndicate which is believed to be attempting to corrupt the PSL which started yesterday.
Former Test captain and batting great Javed Miandad said the latest corruption scandal had again damaged the image of Pakistan cricket.
“Only the Board is to blame for this mess. In a population of 20 million people, the Board insisted on recalling Mohammad Amir to the national side as if they were no other talent available in the country,” Miandad said.
“When you set such examples what do you expect from other players,” he added. Amir was among three players, the other two being former captain Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, who were all banned for five years in 2010 for spot-fixing while touring England.
While the Board is yet to recall Butt and Asif after they completed their five year bans in September 2015, it fast tracked the return of Amir to the Pakistan team early last year insisting he had completed his punishment and was very young when banned for the spot-fixing scandal.
Miandad said that any cricketer could take one look at the dismissal of Sharjeel Khan in the first match for Islamabad United and make out he had deliberately thrown his wicket.
“What I am saying is a technical thing but when I saw him getting out it was obvious to me there was something wrong you don’t get out in this fashion.” Sharjeel was caught in front of the stumps in the second over of the Islamabad innings.
Former players, Aamir Sohail and Shoaib Mohammad slams PCB
Former Test captain Aamir Sohail and former Test opener Shoaib Mohammad also slammed the board for showing weakness on dealing with corrupt players by allowing Amir back into the national fold.
“It was a bad decision and it was bound to have repercussions. Once a player is involved in corruption there should be no leniency for him at all. Unfortunately in Pakistan cricket things have been swept under the carpet,” Sohail, also a former chief selector, said.
“Look at some of the people involved in the PSL and with the board. No names but they have been serious allegations and inquiries made about them and fixing,” he said.
Shoaib Mohammad said that this controversy would badly hit the credibility of the PSL. “The PCB for long has avoided involving our legends who know the game inside out and with a clean track record obviously this is what will happen.”
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