Corrupters are using lockdown time to connect with players active on social media, reveals ICC ACU Chief

Cricket has affected a lot due to ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Last match played at any level was on March 15 in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) which was also the last league game of the tournament. The tournament was called off just a couple of hours before the semi-final after it was reported that Alex Hales who had left Pakistan only a few days ago, had developed symptoms of Coronavirus.

And since then, all the cricketing action has come to a screeching halt. Rather the IPL was supposed to be in progress now and even that league has been suspended until further notice. This has led to the cricketers staying at home for a long time for probably the first time. They are now spending more time on social media interacting with news outlets and their teammates on Instagram live sessions.

Meanwhile, the ICC’s Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) head Alex Marshall has revealed that the corrupters have become active on social media now amidst the lockdown and are trying to connect with the cricketers. He also added that there is every chances of fixing approaches being made even though no cricket is played at the moment.

“We are seeing known corrupters use this time, when players are on social media more than ever, to connect with them and try to build a relationship that they can exploit at a later date. COVID-19 may have put a temporary stop on the playing of international and domestic cricket around the world but the corrupters are still active,” he was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

ICC cautions players across the world

Moreover, the ICC has also cautioned the players across the world and made them aware of the corrupt approaches during this period. They are also aware that the corrupters are likely to target the players who will suffer drop in their payments due to the absence of cricket matches.

“We have reached out to our members, players and their wider networks to highlight this issue and ensure they all continue to be aware of the dangers of approaches,” Marshall further added.