No place for 'spot fixers' in cricket team: Zaka

11 Jun, 2012

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ch M Zaka Ashraf has said that players who are selling their country for 5,000 or 7,000 British pounds will not be considered for the selection in national cricket team. In an interview he said spot fixing scandal got bad name for the country and we have now adopted zero tolerance in this regard. "I have soft corner for fast bowler Muhammad Amir as he was very young and trapped into spot fixing by Salman Butt.
If Amir gets clearance from ICC we will consider him but before that he has to play the domestic cricket to prove that he is as fit as he was", he added. "I do not want to name anyone but yes there were few players who were warned to stay away from "spot fixing" and we are strictly monitoring them and as soon as they will be cleared, you will see them playing again", Zaka said.
Responding to a question the reasons for not including Imran Nazir and Kamran Akmal for the series against Sri Lanka, the Chairman PCB said that team management requested for the inclusion of Kamran Akmal but he was not cleared for the selection. About the cancellation of Bangladesh cricket team tour to Pakistan the Chairman PCB blamed Punjab Government for making irresponsible statements resulted in cancellation of the tour.
"We were trying hard for the revival of international cricket, we were ready for the grand reception of Bangladesh cricket team but the Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharifand law minister gave irresponsible statements that they were not aware about any cricket team's visit" said Zaka Ashraf. "The statements of Punjab Chief minister got huge coverage in Bangladesh which resulted in denial of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to send their team to Pakistan" Chairman PCB added.
"The BCB Chief Mustafa Kamal himself told me that the statements of Punjab Government were the main reason for cancellation of the tour", said Zaka Ashraf.
While quoting BCB Chief, Zaka Ashraf said "after the statements of Punjab Government the cricket fans in Bangladesh termed me a "Pakistani agent" and burned my posters at the streets, my family asked me to run away from the country and in this situation how could I send my team to Pakistan".
"I have no differences with Mian brothers, they were also the cricket lovers but now they are breaking the walls of Qaddafi Stadium terming it encroachments", said Zaka Ashraf. He further said that TMO Lahore sent PCB a notice that Qaddafi Stadium was also comes in encroachments so try to save it. "After these incidents now we are in Lahore High Court to save the symbol of cricket in Pakistan but my request to Punjab Government that do not politicize the sports issues.

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