Ramiz Raja calls for lie detector tests to drive out corrupt players

Ramiz Raja says that the solution is a better alternative to laws and education programs.

By Web Desk
May 12, 2020
Former cricketer Ramiz Raja. Screenshot: YouTube 

TV pundit Ramiz Raja on Monday said that random lie detector tests should be conducted in a bid to drive out ill-practicing players.

The comments came after Afghanistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman Shafiquallah Shafaq was handed a six-year ban for match-fixing.

The former cricketer believed that the "outside-the-box" idea was a means to tackle the issue. 

"I wish there was an instrument to calculate intention. We could easily flag players who could go on to become fixers," said Raja. 

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"A lie-detector test could be used. Just as random samples are taken for dope testing, we should also conduct random lie-detector tests. We should do that in a regular season to find out if players have ever been involved in match-fixing. This is an outside-the-box idea."

Furthermore, the commentator expressed confusion over finding a hard and fast means to ending corruption in cricket. 

Despite there being laws and education programs players continued to slip into corrupt practices. 

"The solution to this problem is very confusing. We have rules, laws, regulations and player education programs but if a player is intent on fixing then no one can stop them," he said.

Raja explained a fixer's mindset and said that they were most likely to approach during a cricketer's most crucial point of their career. 

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"Fixers can usually attack in two important parts of a career. They can attack at the end of someone's career because they have nothing to lose. They can also attack at the start when a player is starting out because their minds are impressionable at that stage,” he said.

In recent times, batsman Umar Akmal was also a victim to corrupt approaches and was given a three-year ban for failing to report them to the Pakistan Cricket Board. 

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