KARACHI, Dec 25: The Anti-Corruption Unit of the International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to monitor next month’s Junior World Cup in New Zealand in an effort to curb match-fixing, reports said Monday.

In letters sent to the boards of all the 16 competing nations, the unit informed that it intends deputing a team of officials who would keep an eye on activities of junior players during the biennial Junior World Cup.

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official, who confirmed receiving such a letter, however, refused to cough up its details. The Junior World Cup starts January 14 in New Zealand with India as the defending champions.

The ICC formed the unit under top cop Sir Paul Condon after the stunning confession by former South African captain Hansie Cronje of accepting money from bookies for playing fixed matches.

After failing to achieve much at senior level, the unit has decided to shift its focus on junior players.

“Since most of these junior players would represent their country’s senior teams in future, the ACU wants to create in them the awareness to avoid illegal practices,” the letter mentioned.

The unit said a two-member official team would give guidelines to youngsters to stay away from unconcerned people and make sure that they do not mix up with strangers.

“I think it is a step in the right direction. After the Cronje episode, the ICC was under immense pressure to take such strict measures,” Pakistan junior team coach Haroon Rasheed told SADA.

“PCB has already included clauses on match-fixing and on doping in the contracts of these youngsters. We have briefed them on the menace,” Haroon, who played 22 Tests for Pakistan, said.

Haroon, who also coached Pakistan senior team, refused to accept that the ICC check would make junior players uncomfortable.

“No. It’s nothing that could pressurize them. It has now become part of the game,” he said.

Haroon informed that the junior players are also attending English classes in Islamabad in an attempt to face the world with confidence.

“English language courses are very much helping the boys to learn and speak the universal language. They are getting adept at it,” he said.

Pakistan’s junior team will also benefit from the week-long coaching from former West Indian captain Clive Lloyd.—SADA