'PCB needs to make PSL a strong brand'

Rameez Raja, who has a clean image and known for his honesty at the height of match-fixing corruption in Pakistan cricket, has rightly said that corruption is highly likely with the involvement of money.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last week launched their ambitious venture Pakistan Super League (PSL) on a wrong foot and apparently without stitching up all ends.
To make matters worse, one of the PSL ambassadors and a most respected former Pakistan captain sounded a stern warning against three tainted players' possible involvement in the PSL.
Rameez Raja, who has a clean image and known for his honesty at the height of match-fixing corruption in Pakistan cricket, has rightly said that corruption is highly likely with the involvement of money.
We have seen in recent past how match-fixing scandals rocked the cash rich Indian Premier League (IPL). The Bangladesh T20 league also got bad name with corruption cases.
According to a study by the Qatar-based International Centre for Sport Security, cricket, after football, is the main sport worldwide for illegal gambling.
Thus the involvement of tainted cricketers Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt in the upcoming PSL is fraught with risk.
After clearing the three to play, ICC has put the onus on the PCB to monitor them as after four years of suspension they resume their playing career. Raja has rightly questioned the 'special treatment' accorded to the three at Pakistan's National Cricket Academy (NCA).
According to him the three are provided with young players to play with and also get all the facilities at the NCA. The youngsters will only get a wrong message when they see 'convicted match-fixers' get special treatment in the rehabilitation process.
Some may argue that even hard core criminals get a rehabilitation chance. May be the trio should get a chance to show their remorse but that is to believe their word as there cannot be a hard evidence to prove that they have reformed.
Giving them a chance is too much of a risk to take. Also, it would be very tough for their team members to share the same dressing room in the knowledge that they were punished for fixing matches but returned to share the dressing room.
The inclusion of the three corrupted players in PSL may also keep some of the international players away from the PCB's much delayed T20 venture.
The PCB must avoid rushing Butt, Amir and Asif to international cricket if they wish to have big names in international cricket to get involved in the PSL. The three should play domestic cricket for a longer period of time to prove their integrity before being considered for the international stage.
Moreover, for a stronger brand name, the PCB should have cleared certain ambiguity regarding PSL at the launch on Monday. After criticism by media and former players, the PSL governing council announced late on Thursday that the T20 league will be held in Dubai and Sharjah between February 4-24.
However, they still don't seem to have firm commitment from international players as their release said 'some of the big names have consented to play'.
The PSL is important for PCB in many ways as they strive hard to convince international team to come and play in Pakistan.