Daily Times

Pakistan cricket is embroiled in many controversies including drug abuse by players, involvement in match fixing and other acts of indiscipline. Things for few years though had been progressing smoothly and the image of Pakistan cricket was getting better. Just when everything looked to be moving in the right direction, the menace of Match fixing scandal again surfaced in Pakistani cricket. This time the bookies targeted the Pakistan Super League and were successfully able to lure a few of our players into their corruptive fold.

The Pakistan Cricket Board frequently made tall claims about educating players on match fixing and drugs usage but even after all this effort of cricket board, players continue to make mistakes. This attitude of players shows that either they are naïve to the consequences of their mistakes or they think that the PCB is a weak board and is not capable of taking strong action against them.

PCB proved itself a weak board as unfortunately it was unable to take firm decisions against players when the situation demanded them to use iron fist.

Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were caught committing gambling in Lords test of 2010 and were subsequently punished by ICC for their crime. They also served jail term in England.

The punishment to these three tainted players was given by International Cricket Council and unfortunately PCB instead of imposing life ban on these tainted players for their crime decided that punishment given by ICC is enough for these players. One member of the trio, Muhammad Amir is  already back in the national squad while the other two that is Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif are part of domestic cricket and due to Pakistan cricket team’s batting woes, some quarters are raising voice to include Salman Butt in Pakistan cricket team.

Many former cricketers were in favour of imposing life ban on these players but PCB unfortunately took the lenient route. The leniency shown by PCB to these players set a wrong precedent. Now every intended criminal know the maximum length of punishment for indulging in the crime of match fixing.

PCB has this history of showing leniency to players. They were lenient to Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar when they were tested positive for using banned substance. The ban imposed on both players for their mistake was of less duration. Shoaib may have learned his lesson but Aisf continued on his merry ways, being caught in Dubai in 2008 for carrying drugs in his pocket and then finally he committed gambling at Oval.

I feel worried that players find involved in various crimes particularly the crime of gambling did not think about their families before committing a crime. Few years ago we saw family of Salman Butt on the roads of Lahore speaking vehemently in support of Salman Butt trying to prove his innocence but as the things unfold, it is now clear that Salman Butt committed the crime. Salman was adamant that he is innocent but once PCB took a firm step, he tendered his written apology to PCB in which he accepted his crime and asks for forgiveness.

I am distraught with our news channels also who invited Salman Butt as an expert during the days when he is serving ban for his crime. Hope in future television channels avoid inviting tainted person as guest or expert on their screens.

Few days ago saw father of Sharjeel Khan talked to media and showed full faith that his son is innocent. Although investigation about Sharjeel Khan’s case still to be finalised but I am sure PCB have enough evidence against Sharjeel and Khalid Latif. I for once think that instead of sending these players back to Pakistan, PCB should carry out and complete all the investigations in Dubai once for all.

Although I have no soft corner in my heart for any tainted player but still I feel a little sad for Sharjeel Khan. He has started showing consistent performance for Pakistan and is the only player in current Pakistan team to have a strike rate of more than 100 runs per ball. In the recent one day series against Australia, Sharjeel Khan had smashed three half centuries which is the highest number of 50s for Pakistan in any bilateral series against Australia. In my view whatever good Sharjeel did as a player, if he is involved in match fixing at any level, he should be handed life ban.

In Pakistan we have close knit family system where everything good or bad is taught at an early age. The way things are moving, I think children are not paying heed to what they are taught at an early age by their parents and teachers.  Question here arises is why is this happening? This is happening because our system to punish criminals is weak and many people are confident that they can walk away unscathed even after committing crime. I think we as nation need to work hard on our youngsters and inculcate a deep sense in them that a crime is a crime irrespective of conviction or acquittal.

PCB is talking about talking firm steps to rout out corruption. If PCB is really serious in its resolve against corruption, then as a first step it should get rid of all the players named in Justice Qayyum’s report.

Just at the time when world was witnessing positive image of Pakistan through Pakistan Super League (PSL), some players for their personal gains tarnish the image of country. This is an opportunity in adversity for the PCB to go hard on all players and official on whom they have an iota of doubt with regards to involvement in criminal activities and clean Pakistan cricket from the mess of match fixing permanently.