There is never a dull moment in Pakistan cricket. Pakistan cricket just loves to be in the limelight, whether they are Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) high officials or our star cricketers, they just know the art to remain in news for all the wrong reasons. The latest fixing saga in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the United Arab Emirates: suspension of Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif, questioning of Mohammad Irfan, Zulfiqar Babar and Shahzaib Hasan by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) anti-corruption unit, and arrest of Nasir Jamshed in London along with an alleged bookie by police, though later they were released on bail till April this year, have stunned all. Jamshed, who made the last of 68 appearances for Pakistan across all three formats nearly two years ago, is not taking part in the PSL. The entire cricketing fraternity has
been shattered by allegations of fixing which has tarnished the reputation of Pakistan cricket.
After what Pakistan cricket went through in 1990s, 2000s and 2010, the involvement of a couple of players in spot-fixing to taint the image of the country, once again, is just beyond one’s comprehension. This is really embarrassing and extremely painful. It clearly shows that fixing has deep roots in Pakistan cricket and can not be eliminated completely. Despite earning a lot of money, our players’ vulnerability has put a big question mark on Pakistan cricket and how it is being run. It seems that our players have not learned the lesson, and they always will be vulnerable when there is big money involved; greed is instinctive. It is very unfortunate that another set of emerging and talented players have bitten the dust.
Pakistan cricket has been rocked by fixing scandals over the past several years. Former captain Salim Malik and Ataur Rehman were banned for life after an investigation in 2000. Malik was punished for offering Australian trio Shane Warne, Tim May and Mark Waugh a bribe to underperform during their visit to Pakistan in 1995. In 2010 then Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were jailed and banned for five years for spot-fixing while leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was banned for life in a spot-fixing case in 2012.
