Rashid Latif added that the players are 'just pawns', and that they are used by 'top board members'.
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif made a bold claim about the match-fixing in cricket, stating that the boards in-charge of the sport share the blame for the problem as much as the cricketers do.
Talking about the existing issue on his official YouTube channel, Latif insisted that boards have protected the players who are accused of fixing.
"The cricket boards have always given support to players accused of fixing. We always blame the players. Yes, they are involved in fixing. But are cricket authorities not to be blamed as well," said Latif.
"The ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit tells players to stay away from certain individuals. But the cricketers are playing franchise cricket for teams owned by the same individuals with whom they are suggesting to stay away from. It’s a big problem."
Latif added thaat the players are 'just pawns', and that they are used by 'top board members'.
"I won’t completely blame a player for fixing. Players are just pawns, they are being utilised by the top board members. The board has a larger role to play in fixing," said the former Pakistan captain.
"If no member from the board is involved, then they will always punish a player. But the top officials of the boards, or some members of the boards who have been placed by political contacts, are somewhere involved, and hence, players always get protected.
"Every cricket board all over the world, have protected their players. Every country has protected their players who were found fixing matches. This is why the window of T20 cricket and franchise cricket had to be created to tell players that do whatever you want to do here, don’t do it in international cricket."
