Spot-fixing is a crime, not a mistake: Hafeez

LAHORE: Cricketer Muhammad Hafeez said that spot-fixing is not a mistake but rather a crime, and those involved should not be shown any leniency or respect.

Addressing the media on Saturday, Hafeez said that the national team had vowed to stay away from any activity which may bring disrepute to them or the country.

“It is unfortunate that the team has found itself in the middle of a scandal once again,” he said referring to the spot-fixing scandal involving three Pakistani cricketers in 2010.

He stated that he has a principled and moral stand against spot-fixing, and anyone proven guilty in tarnishing the image of the nation does not deserve the due respect accorded.

The 36-year-old spoke about the difficulty in making a comeback for national team and that he had tough time to find a place for himself.

Hafeez suffered a knee injury during the WorldT20 2016 in India. He was picked for the tour of England but left midway due to the sustained injury.

He said that he was satisfied with performance during the Australia tour, where he even captained a match in absence of Azhar Ali. He also made comeback  as bowler during the tour after being cleared after a suspect action.

Hafeez admitted that his performance in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League was not satisfactory, where he struggled and was knocked out twice for zero.

However, he said that selectors have expressed confidence by selecting him for upcoming tour of West Indies.

He promised to live up to the expectations, and said he would prefer to leave when he feels that he can no longer contribute to the team and give space for deserving players.