ISLAMABAD - Former Test cricketer Sarfraz Nawaz has strongly recommended the International Cricket Council (ICC) to put ban on Pakistan Super League (PSL), Indian Super League (IPL) and all the other leagues to save cricket from corruption and fixing.
Talking to The Nation on Sunday, Sarfraz said: “Najam Sethi is mainly responsible for all the fiasco and inflicting huge damages on Pakistan cricket in general and Pakistan in particular. He was fully aware of the fact that Wasim Akram, Mushtaq Ahmed, Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq and others are certified tainted people and Justice Qayyum had clearly mentioned their names in his detailed report and advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to keep them away from holding any office in the board, but no heed in this regard was paid and strangely, these people were given high-profile posts, allowing them to mint money using unfair means.”
Sarfraz said the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) had clear evidences not only against Sharjeel and Khalid, but also against around 10 players, but Najam Sethi refused to listen to ICC’s ACU advice and made them clear that he would do whatever he liked to do. This is the same mafia, which was operating in close contact with former South African skipper Hansie Cronje and Dave Richardson, and now they are blackmailing Richardson and told him to hush up the entire issue or face the consequences. What a disgrace and shameful act for Pakistan. We are super power of world cricket, but some highly irresponsible persons had brought bad name to Pakistan cricket.
“I am quite astonished that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, being the patron of the PCB and head of the state, is keeping mum on this serious issue and letting Sethi and co to do whatever they want to do. It is not Sethi’s reputation on stake, but it is Pakistan and Pakistanis honour, which could suffer. It is my humble request to the PM to take action and ban all these culprits to save sinking ship of Pakistan cricket,” he added.
Sarfraz said that the way PCB chairman Shahryar M Khan had been running the PCB affairs was quite surprising. At one end, he was saying that the PCB had enough solid evidences against these players and it would take strict action against them, but on the other hand, he had quickly fled from UAE. He is known to enjoy joy rides, TADAs and very keen to appear on media every day.
It is true that powerful mafia in the PCB rules to roost, and doesn’t allow Shaharyar or any other person to stand between them and money. They are not bothered how they will earn money, and as long as money is coming, they are fine with it and when someone tries to stop them from using unfair means, the mafia gets active and uses every trick in their pocket to ensure their rights are protected. These persons will never allow fair cricket. The only way of stopping them is to stop all kinds of leagues to ensure cricket stays free from corruption. With heavy heart, I and other greats request the ICC ACU to intervene and stop the PSL and other leagues as early as possible, or else this powerful mafia will destroy cricket, Sarfraz concluded.