LAHORE – Former fast bowling great Wasim Akram on Sunday said it would be very hard for the three banned players — Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammed Asif — to get rid of the stigma associated with the bans imposed on them for spot-fixing. The former captain however backed the bans by the ICC anti-corruption tribunal insisting they would be like a lesson to other cricket playing nations as well.
“I do feel sorry for the players and I can imagine what they must be going through right now particularly their families and friends,” Wasim said. “All this is very sad news for Pakistan and these youngsters but they made mistakes and they must face the music. But I feel the tribunal verdict shows that the ICC is serious about tackling any corruption in cricket,” he said.
Wasim said the bans were also a reminder to the other cricket boards that it was their job to educate and groom young players who come from humble backgrounds and educate players about anti-corruption measures. “I think it is the job of the management to let the players know clearly who they should associate with, who they should meet because youngsters need to be taught about their future in cricket,” he added.
Wasim said he felt especially sad for left-arm pacer Aamer who is just 18 and has been banned for five years. “He is a wonderful talent and this ban will affect his career. Removing this stigma would be difficult for the trio,” he added. Wasim said it was time for Pakistan fans to move on and focus on the World Cup by supporting the national team, which was now looking good.
“We have the World Cup ahead of us and we need to support our team now,” he said.
Pain for players, but a fair decision, says Wasim
