Pak cricketer Mohammad Hafeez slams players involved in match-fixing

Match-fixing, spot-fixing scandals, player-bookie illicit relationships have rocked cricketing world several times. Pakistan has majorly been rocked by numerous match-fixing scandals in last two decades. Pakistani star allrounder Mohammad Hafeez featured in Shoaib Akhtar's YouTube channel where he stated that whoever has been involved in such scandals should be barred from getting to play for country.

“It was my principled decision and is still same that whoever plays for Pakistan and is unable to uphold hor of Pakistan should never get a chance to feel that pride [of representing Pakistan] again,” Mohammad Hafeez told Shoaib Akhtar for his YouTube channel.

“Those players are like my brors and I do pray for m but what y did and besmirched integrity of Pakistan, I was against that.

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A string of spot-fixing

In September 2010, ICC suspended three Pakistan players - Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, and Salman Butt - on allegations of spot-fixing. y were alleged to have carried out specific on-field actions, during Lord's Test against England on instance of a bookie. All players were n banned by ICC for terms of between 5 and 10 years. In vember 2011, Butt and Asif were found guilty by a London court on criminal charges relating to spot-fixing. From three, only Amir has mand to make a successful return to international cricket thus far.

Pakistan recalled left-arm pacer in 2016. Butt, on or hand, has been doing well in domestic cricket but has t got chance to play for Pakistan again. Ar player Sharjeel Khan, who too was involved in spot-fixing, is also in line to return.

Expressing his apprehension against it, Hafeez said that anyone found guilty of match-fixing should never be allowed to play for Pakistan again.

“I raised my voice in this regard but I was told in reply that y will play for Pakistan and if you wish to play as well, n you decide [what you want to do] and I was like really?So I went home and took advice as I did t want to spend giving my positive energy for Pakistan so I continued along with all those players although that was wrong and I still say that is wrong and will never be fruitful for Pakistan. Bringing back any such player will never be fruitful for Pakistan,” he added.

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