"Fixing iss vajah se hui thi" - Javed Miandad explains why some Pakistani cricketers resort to match-fixing

Javed Miandad recently revealed that a lot of Pakistani players have fallen prey to match-fixing because they know that their future is going to be uncertain once they stop performing well.

Speaking to Cricket Pakistan, the former captain admitted that he too was approached to fix games during his playing days. While he claimed that he had refused the offers, he expressed concerns over the current crop of cricketers.

He opined that match-fixing was prevalent in Pakistan because the players are worried about their careers ending abruptly. Shedding light on the aforementioned issues, Miandad remarked:

"Apne logon ko dekhein, apne logon ne jo cricket kheli hai. Mujhe aisa kuch nahi hai, mujhe badi offers aati hain par main nahi jaata. Ye jo players khel rahe hain, ab ye aaj khel rahe hain inka future kya hai? [Look at our crickets who have played cricket in the past. I'm not talking about myself, I've received a lot of offers in the past but I don't go. What will happen to players who are there right now?].

"Unko pata hai ki aaj maine kuch nahi kiya, toh kal main kya karunga? Fixing iss vajah se hui thi. Sabko dar tha ki ye kaat naa de hamko." [They know they don't have anywhere to go if they don't perform. Fixing happened because of this very reason. Everyone was scared that their career will be over].

Notably, a number of Pakistani players have had to deal with harsh penalties after being proven guilty of fixing matches in the past. The 2010 spot-fixing scandal involving Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, and Mohammad Amir severely dented the reputation of the country.

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"Puchein toh sahi ham bhi, batao cricket ke baare me" - Javed Miandad expresses displeasure over the PCB's inclination towards foreign coaches

Miandad suggested that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hires foreign coaches just to save its own face. He asked the interviewer to bring the members of the coaching staff to the studio so that they can assess what they know about the game.

Notably, Miandad, who has had multiple coaching stints with the Pakistan team in the past, believes that the future of the current players may be in danger, given the board's inclination towards foreign coaches. He explained:

"Ham logon ne County kheli hai, magar aaj jo ye ladke khel rahe hain, inka future kya hai?" [We have played County cricket, but those who are playing right now, what's their future?

Speaking about the foreign coaches, he added:

"Lao na inko, inse ham log question karenge. Puchein toh sahi ham bhi, batao cricket ke baare me." [Bring them to the studio, we will ask them questions. We also want to know what they know about cricket]

It is worth mentioning that former Australian cricketers Matthew Hayden and Shaun Tait were an integral part of the Men in Green's think tank for the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2022. While Hayden served as the team's mentor, Tait was the bowling coach.

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