Pakistan Head Coach Misbah-ul-Haq Calls For Uniform Policy In Dealing With Corrupt Cricketers

Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq on Tuesday demanded a clear policy for players who are found guilty of corruption at any level. However, the former Test captain also didn't agree with the public comments made by Muhammad Hafeez, who feels tainted players should not be allowed back into the national team. "It is my personal opinion that if you are playing as a player you shouldn't be giving such opinion as the ICC and PCB are the authority on these matters and they take decisions as per existing law," he said in a video interaction with the print media.

He advised Hafeez to avoid making comments because as a player one has to share the dressing room. "It is good that the PCB CEO Wasim Khan has had a long talk with Hafeez on this issue and Hafeez has shared his ideas as well. I think he will now understand that it is totally up to organisation to take a decision on these issues."

Asked about Hafeez's suggestion that a clause should be put into the players contracts on the issue of what should happen if a player is found guilty of corruption, Misbah said that there should be a unanimous law for all players.

"But we have to take into count many things like a player's education and his understanding of his position and situation and his decision making ability. In most cases we have seen it has been about players failing to report any approaches to them." Misbah players like in the recent Umar Akmal case tended to take things lightly and landed into trouble.

"My personal view is that if you want to put such a clause for players, it should be unanimous and should be decided once for all." Misbah also indicated that Hafeez might not be in the team management's future plans in the ODI format.

"When we sit down to talk about ODI cricket we will have to see whether Hafeez would be playing in the 2023 World Cup because you have to start planning about a World Cup well in time.