KARACHI: Former captain and master batsman Zaheer Abbas said on Thursday that PCB has taken a late but right decision to criminalise fixing in Pakistan but it should ensure that everyone involved either currently or in the past should be made accountable for their misdeeds.

“The PCB’s plans to criminalise match fixing is a commendable move and should have been done long ago,” said Zaheer in an exclusive interview with Dawn News.”But it is a right move and if PCB really wants to get rid of fixing in Pakistan than all the tainted players who ever indulged in these foul practices must be made accountable under the proposed law.”

Zaheer also said in his opinion wrong doing may have happened in his era too but nothing could be said with certainity.The Asian Bradman lamented that since no major action was taken in the past against fixing culprits, the menace went on to spread and unfortunately still exists.On the question about return of tainted players to the national team such as Mohammad Amir, Sharjeel Khan and a few other, Zaheer said:

“How we stop such players now? No exemplary punishment given or action taken in the past against the players involved in fixing and no such law was enforced to keep the tainted players away forever, so what would be stopling the tainted players to make comebacks.”

Zaheer, who also held the prestigious position of ICC President a few years back, blasted ICC for its recent announcement of sharing points between Pakistan and India for the Women’s Championship.”It is very unfair that while India has constantly refused to play Pakistan over the years, the ICC has still awarded points to India,” he observed. “These things will hurt the game and will not set a good example.”

Zaheer said fans all over the world want to see regular cricket matches between Pakistan and India but India always mix politics with sports which is shameful.

“Pakistan-India cricket is even bigger than Ashes and both the countries have produced great contests and big cricketing heroes,” he said. “But unfortunately Pakistan-India cricket has not been happening for a long time and the Indian Goverment is responsible for that.”

The legendary bats.an also criticised PCB for its inability to impose discipline or devise a code on the players taking early retirements from Test cricket on their own.

“Test Cricket is the real cricket, All greats in the past became legends of the game because of their hard work and commitment in Test cricket. Now if players like Amir and Wahab Riaz are taking retirements from Tests on their own at their age, it means that the Board has no control over the players,” said Zaheer.”I would suggest all modern day cricketers to focus more on Test cricket which will earn them the highest honours, not limited overs cricket.”

Zaheer insisted that departmental cric­ket must be revived in Pakistan’s domestic set up which will secure the futures of young cricketers.

“ Myself, Imran Khan, Mushtaq Mohammad, Majid Khan, Javed Miandad and almost every star player comes from the domestic cricket which was run by department and that gave stability to Pakistan cricket, In my opinion PCB should back departments-based domestic Cricket to boost the moral of young players once again,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2020