The team management has asked national cricket team players to limit the use of social media during the upcoming T20 World Cup to reduce the possibility of any interactions with bookies.
During the ongoing training camp in Lahore ahead of the mega event, the players received a detailed briefing on how they can handle tricky situations, especially, related to spot-fixing and match-fixing.
The players were shown a translated lecture on anti-corruption from the International Cricket Council (ICC), which explained how bookies could try to approach them using various means, including social media platforms.
The lecture also discussed the case of the Indian-born South African cricketer, Gulam Bodi, in detail and how he received a five-year sentence for being involved in corruption.
After a recent surge in high-profile fixing scandals, the ICC has amped its anti-corruption efforts to eliminate the menace of match-fixing from cricket. The move has reduced bookies’ chances of getting their way around players. Hence, they resort to using social platforms for approaching players, directly or indirectly.
After the notorious Lords incident, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also taken a stricter stance towards such incidents. Over the course of five years, the cricket board has sentenced leading domestic and international cricketers for failing to report an approach from bookies and fixers.
Apart from the trio of Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, and Salman Butt, the PCB has sentenced Sharjeel Khan, Shahzaib Hassan, Naved Latif, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Nawaz, Umar Akmal, and Zeeshan Malik for failing to report a fixing offer at the domestic level.
Source: Pro Pakistani