Former cricketer Ijaz Ahmed says lifetime ban on fixers crucial to keep cricket clean

By
Faizan Lakhani
|

DUBAI: Former Pakistan batsman Ijaz Ahmed has urged for a lifetime ban on players found guilty for fixing matches.

“Players convicted of match fixing or spot fixing should never be allowed to play cricket again. This is necessary to keep cricket clean from such corruption,” he said.

As to how players can be kept away from corruption, Ahmed believes it is important to inject more money in domestic cricket so that cricketers never consider fixing as an option.

“Players playing first-class cricket should receive more money. Match fees for domestic cricket are only Rs. 15,000. This is not enough, especially considering high inflation nowadays.

“Players already receive anti-corruption lectures as part of their training. They should realise cricket gives them so much fame, money, respect. It gives them a future. Despite all this, if somebody goes against the spirit of the game and resorts to corruption and fixing, it is regretful,” Ahmed added.

The PCB on Friday provisionally suspended Islamabad United batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif over suspected attempts to carry out fixing during PSL. The players were sent home from Dubai and a charge sheet is being prepared against them.