Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur yesterday praised an unnamed player for reporting a spot fixing approach as “a real example to our team.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board on Saturday confirmed that a player was approached with a fixing offer during the ongoing one-day series with Sri Lanka, but he reported the matter to the board’s anti-corruption unit.
Pakistani media named the player as skipper Sarfraz Ahmed.
“To be honest, the player reacted unbelievably well,” Arthur told reporters. “He did everything required of him and we had a chat straight afterward. It was handled brilliantly and I think that is a real example to our team and to the cricket world that a really important player was approached and acted to the letter of the law and did exceptionally well as a true ambassador of the game.”
The board said that the matter was also referred to the International Cricket Council.
Arthur said any of his players would act in the same manner.
“I am very comfortable with our players; they are outstanding and they are intelligent young men and individuals and I have no doubt that if anyone is approached they will do the same way,” Arthur said.
As per anti-corruption rules, a player is required to instantly report a fixing offer. Failing to do so is punishable by a six month to life ban.
Pakistan cricket received a jolt in February when two of their players — Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif — were caught in a spot-fixing scandal that rocked their Twenty20 league held in United Arab Emirates.
Sharjeel was banned for five years while Khalid was banned for five years and fined 1 million rupees (US$9,492).
The two played for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League were accused of arranging two dot balls in return for money in the opening match of the league.
Pacer Mohammad Irfan was banned for one year and fined 1 million rupees, while spinning all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz was banned for two months and fined 200,000 rupees for failing to report fixing offers at various stages.
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