Kolkata: In a nation which has given birth to names like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram, the corruption factor has left a permanent scar on the face of Pakistan. Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif recently faced a ‘provisional’ suspension by the Pakistani Cricket Board (PCB) due to allegations of spot fixing in the ongoing Pakistan Super League. The returning home of these players while the tournament is in progress can be said to be a desperate move by the PCB to remove the stains associated with it.
In the land of pureness, that’s what Pakistan literally means, these issues of corruption are age old. The list of the players suspended seems never ending. Be it Salman Butt or Mohammad Asif or Mohammad Aamir or Danish Kaneria, the names don’t seem to end. This has heavily affected the image of the supreme governing body of Pakistani cricket.
To add to the discomforts of the PCB, former Pakistani cricketer Miandad was recently quoted, “Only the board is to blame for this mess. In a population of 20 million people, the Board insisted on calling Mohammad Aamir to the national side as if they were no other talent available in the country. When you set such examples what do you expect from other players?” Imran Khan, indisputably one of the greatest all-rounders of the game has even given suggestions to the board to clean up themselves. These statements stand as a witness to the fact that the board is obviously not in the right hands.
Who can forget the traumatic incident which occurred in 2009 in Pakistan? For those who don’t know what happened, the Sri Lankan team was on a tour to Pakistan in Lahore, and the team bus was attacked by terrorists. Six policemen were killed, one player and an umpire were injured. Since then, no major international match has taken place in Pakistan. Zimbabwe did tour Pakistan, but exceptions cannot be counted as examples.
One may think that the Pakistani players don’t earn much and hence have to resort to corruption. But it is definitely not so. The ‘legal’ earnings of Pakistani cricketers are bound to grab eyeballs. Plus, they get to bank on stupendous rewards and prizes which they get for playing matches and tournaments. Despite having surplus incomes, taking the route of corruption signifies nothing but immense and uncontrollable greed. This greed which acts like carcinogens is eating up the reputation of not only Pakistani Cricket, but the whole nation itself. The board needs to look and probe into these matters as early as possible, before it gets too late.
(With inputs from Dawn)