ABU DHABI: Captain Sarfraz Ahmed said on Wednesday that he was the Pakistan player who was approached by an alleged bookie during the One-day International series against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
The wicket-keeper/batsman reported the incident to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) at the time.
The news of a Pakistani player approached for fixing made headlines before the fourth match of a series the hosts won 5-0.
The PCB confirmed last Saturday that an unnamed player was approached with an offer but promptly reported the matter to its anti-corruption unit.
The PCB said the incident was conveyed to the ICC, whose anti-corruption unit interviewed the player.
Sarfraz is leading his side in the three-match Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka that started in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
“Obviously I did my job of informing, but I was not scared when I informed about it,” said Sarfraz when he was asked if he feels under pressure because of the incident. “I did become scared after I saw myself on the television. There was so much talk about it on the television that I got scared.
“By the grace of Allah everything is getting normal. When you are going into a series you need to be normal and everything is going good so far.”
Pakistan cricket was hit by a fixing scandal during the second edition of the Pakistan Super League earlier this year that saw Pakistan openers Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif banned for two-and-a-half and five years respectively.
The most infamous spot-fixing incident to hit Pakistani cricket came on the 2010 tour of England, when then-captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were all given prison sentences for conspiring to bowl deliberate no-balls in the fourth Test at Lord’s.
Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2017
