Former Pakistan captain-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja has on Thursday (February 20) urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to bring out legislation to impose life bans on the guilty players involved in spot-fixing following the latest episode in the ongoing PSL 2020.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended Umar Akmal with immediate effect for breaching its 'Anti-Corruption Code' pending the investigation being carried out by PCB's Anti-Corruption Unit hours before the start of the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020 on Thursday.
His suspension came amid claims that he failed to report a spot-fixing approach in the tournament, resulting in Akmal not being able to play for defending champions Quetta Gladiators in PSL 2020 and take part in any cricket-related activities.
“Gutted” by the latest incident that has rocked Pakistan cricket, Raja suggested the PCB to request Prime Minister to pass some legislation in parliament to deal with corruption in Pakistan cricket.
Raja told reporters on Thursday, “I am gutted today it just seems like the Sharjeel and Khalid Latif incident took place yesterday and now this. It makes me so angry that this keeps on happening in Pakistan cricket. I would definitely like to see some legislation in parliament imposing a uniform punishment for guilty players.”
He continued, “We have to have laws like New Zealand and some other countries have done ensuring players found guilty of corrupting the game are no longer allowed a chance back.”
The former captain said he has been saying for the same for the years but it just keeps on happening, saying such incidents only hurt the sport and image of Pakistan cricket.
Raja signed off by saying, “There is so much technology nowadays that if someone has made up his mind to do corrupt the game he will do it. The thing to do is ensure if he is caught he is made an example for others. Cricket is one thing that binds the people of Pakistan and no one should be allowed to soil it.”
(With PTI Inputs)
