Mohammad Irfan to lecture Pakistan team on anti-corruption

After serving a six-month ban for violating the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) anti-corruption code, Pakistan’s fast bowler Mohammad Irfan – as part of his rehabilitation process – will give a lecture to members of the Pakistani team on anti-corruption.

Irfan was suspended by the PCB for twelve months after he delayed reporting the corrupt approaches made to him earlier this year in March; six months of the sentence remains suspended. The 7-ft-tall pacer was initially suspended for one year and fined $1,000 following the investigations into the spot-fixing allegations in the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The 35-year-old also had his central contract suspended for a period of six months. However, he was told that his ban could get shortened to six months if he adheres to the suspension guidelines, which he has successfully managed, making him free to resume his career. Meaning, it was expected that his was a name in the Pakistani squad for Sri Lanka T20 International series. He is also set to play the Quaid-e-Azam trophy for WAPDA after completing the tenure of the ban.

“I am eyeing to be part of the Sri Lanka series where the last T20 match will be played in Lahore,” the left-arm pacer was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper following the completion of his ban on Thursday.

The need of a lecture 

Delivering an anti-corruption lecture is part of players’ rehabilitation program before rejoining the national squad, and Irfan is set to take the first step towards his rehab on Wednesday. Sources have confirmed that Irfan has been called by PCB to deliver an anti-corruption lecture to the players who are part of the national team’s camp for the series against Sri Lanka, as reported by Cricketnext. Irfan, in his lecture on Wednesday, will tell players about consequences of ignoring the anti-corruption code.

He also expressed his disappointment at missing out on the Independence Cup involving Pakistan and the Faf du Plessis-led World XI side. Irfan said: “I was very unlucky to have the ban at a time when international cricket was returning home and was not able to be a part of the historic match.”