DUBAI: Cricketer-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja lashed out at Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday after corruption scandal emerged in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Ramiz, the brand ambassador for PSL, believes allowing the players involved in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal to return gave way to the recent corruption scandal in the PSL, hinting at Mohammad Amir and his co-players Muhammad Asif and Salman Butt.
PCB on Friday suspended two Islamabad United players Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif due to alleged fixing claims, with the cricket board chairman Shaharyar Khan stating that the management has solid proof against them.
“We took a pledge at the wonderful opening ceremony [on Thursday]. We also stood up for the national anthem. And the very next day this happened. This is horrendous, extremely painful,” Ramiz said. “We did not want it. Pakistan has gone through hell because of such situations. One more [scandal] to deal with I guess. No lessons were learned from the [Mohammad] Amir saga.”
The 54-year-old reiterated the claim he earlier made when Amir was included in the national team that players who put the country’s name in disrepute should never be allowed to come back.
“I wanted to make them [Amir and co] examples and not bring them back into the system,” he said. “It is a straight-forward call for me but I was not in charge of the decision. I just gave my opinion. Now it has come back to bite us, unfortunately.”
Meanwhile, Ramiz also denied claims that the PSL as a product will face a setback due to the ongoing scandal.
“I don’t think it is a setback,” he said. “We have got England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan here. We have got Brendon McCullum. The talent pool is very good. There is a lot of interest in the PSL. Now the final will be in Lahore; every foreign player is ready to cooperate to make it happen. The integrity of the PSL was at stake and the PCB took a prompt decision, which is right and transparent. They have learned their lessons from past and know the value of a quick decision.”
