‘Conscious’ Pakistan players avoiding scandals

Education programme working, says Wasim Bari.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Education and Training Programme is paying dividends as the players are now well aware of their boundaries and have stopped inviting unnecessary scandals by ignoring strangers and prohibited ways of communication, according to programme incharge Wasim Bari.

The programme was launched after guidelines from the International Cricket Council (ICC) in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal last year.

“There may not be clear benefits but there are effects of the programme making their impact,” Bari told The Express Tribune. “Players who knew little about the dangers of corruption are now well aware of the menace.”

Bari added that he also held a session with the Pakistan squad before they left for Zimbabwe, reminding the players of their duties and the code of conduct. The players, according to the former wicket-keeper, were also staying away from communication through social networking sites.

“The success of the programme can be gauged from the fact that we’ve hardly had any scandals since its inception.”

Seeks more information from ACSU

Bari added that the PCB has sought more information and literature from the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit for the forthcoming domestic season.

“It’s a programme which will continue to evolve with changes,” he said. “We remain in touch with the ACSU and follow its guidelines and have asked them to share information regarding the programme which we can use in the coming domestic season.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th,  2011.