Lahore (October 21, 2017): Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi on Saturday confirmed that a national team player was approached by a bookie with an offer of match-fixing, which was immediately reported to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption unit.
“A player was approached,” Sethi said on Twitter. “As per rules he immediately reported to PCB who informed ICC. Matters are jointly in hand. No further comment.”
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Sethi did not name the player, however, Pakistani media and sources in the PCB have said that the player approached by the bookie was skipper Sarfraz Ahmed and it happened on October 17 before the third one-day international in Abu Dhabi.
Sources said Sarfraz had immediately reported the matter to PCB’s anti-corruption unit, who in turn informed the ICC.
Under the anti-corruption code, a player must report a fixing offer and failure to do so can result in a ban of a minimum of six months. The maximum punishment is a life ban.
Pakistan lead the five-match series 4-0 after a thumping seven-wicket win against Sri Lanka in Sharjah on Friday. The final match takes place in Sharjah on Monday.
Under ICC rules a player is interviewed by its anti-corruption unit to further investigate the matter, but the governing body does not make any comment on an ongoing investigation.
Pakistan cricket received a jolt in February when two of its players — Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif — were caught in a spot-fixing scandal which rocked their Twenty20 league held in the United Arab Emirates.
Sharjeel was banned for five years (two and a half years of which were suspended) while Khalid was banned for five years and fined Rs1m.
The two played for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and were accused of arranging two dot balls in return for money in the opening match of the league.
Pacer Mohammad Irfan was banned for one year, six months of which were suspended, and fined Rs1m while spinning all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz was banned for two months (one suspended) and fined Rs200,000 for failing to report fixing offers at various stages.
Pakistan has a history of fixing related incidents with three of their top players — Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir — banned for five years in a spot-fixing scandal on team’s tour of England in 2010.
A judicial inquiry on fixing ended in life bans on Salim Malik and Ataur Rehman and fines on six players Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saeed Anwar and Akram Raza in 2000.
Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria is serving a life ban in a 2010 spot-fixing case in a county match in England.
