RATTLED by the match-fixing allegations against Pakistan cricketers, the South African team is reportedly reluctant to play against them in a series in Abu Dhabi and Dubai next month.
According to a report in The Daily Telegraph, senior South African cricketers are considering making themselves unavailable for the series. The Proteas are due to play five ODIs, three Tests and a couple of Twenty20s against Pakistan next month.
“To say we are reluctant is an understatement,” one senior player said. “Nobody knows what the hell is going in Pakistan cricket and we feel that playing such a high profile series right now – especially in the Middle East – is asking for trouble.
“Maybe it’s time for the ICC to step in, or for Pakistan to withdraw from the international game for a year until the mess can be cleaned up and people can start to believe in the game and develop a bit of trust,” the player said.
The South African Cricketers Association chief executive Tony Irish also conceded that “many players” have reservations but didn’t say whether there had been talk of pullouts.
“The fact that there are now further incidents under investigation is not good news. This all needs to be dealt with urgently in order to ensure that a heavy cloud of suspicion and doubt doesn’t hang over our series against Pakistan,” Irish said.
Asked whether senior players were considering not participating in the tour, Irish said: “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Meanwhile, Cricket South Africa denied reports, saying that the series would go ahead as scheduled.
“This is an official bilateral tour governed by the ICC FTP agreement, signed by all member countries. Therefore it is an ICC-sanctioned match. The ICC has not cancelled the tour and is dealing with the matter through the ACSU. We therefore have no reason to call off the tour,” CSA chief executive Gerald Majola told Cricinfo. (Yahoo Sport)