Sarfraz Ahmed, the Pakistan captain, had been approached to fix games but he immediately informed the team management, according to reports on Saturday (October 21). The approach was made ahead of the third One-Day International in Abu Dhabi.
“A player was approached,” Najam Sethi, the PCB chairman, tweeted. “As per rules he immediately reported to PCB who informed ICC. Matters are jointly in hand. No further comment.”
The investigation will now be taken forward by ICC’s Anti-Corruption unit (ACU). “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 was quoted by the Press Trust of India. “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.”
The officials have also decided to tighten the security around the Pakistan team. “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. After Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif’s involvement was discovered in the Pakistan Super League, the Pakistan Cricket Board has taken a firm stance on corrupt practices in the game and are keen to prevent any such approaches.