KARACHI Aqib Javed, the former Test cricketer and head coach of Lahore Qalandars, has backed the calls for the criminalisation of the offence of fixing in sports saying that those proven guilty of corruption shouldn’t be allowed to be back to the game. Talking to media during an online session from Lahore, the former fast bowler said that we need strict action against players involved in corruption. “Such players shouldn’t be allowed to come back,” Javed said. “Pakistan needs legislation against the offense of fixing in sports, we should have done this earlier as there was a time when several cricketers from here were named in various scandals,” the former fast bowler added. He insisted that such legislation is important so that not just players but those who attempt to corrupt players are also caught. Javed, who’s also the director cricket operations of Lahore Qalandars, backed the idea of having a global contest between franchise teams from various T20 leagues of the world. “Imagine a game between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lahore or against any Australian team, this would be as big as any bilateral contest,” he said. “But to make it successful, it is important that teams play on home and away basis, as we see in English Football,” the former fast bowler added. He also emphasised on the importance oforganising red-ball cricket at school and college level. “We will be able to produce quality players only if we allow them to play long innings, the hit-and-go type cricket at grass-root level won’t help us get top players. We need to have school, college and university leagues on weekend and these leagues should continue for eight months,” he mentioned. “And this is not something new, this is already being practiced in England and Australia and that’s why they regularly get quality players,” Javed added.—Agencies
