Pakistan Cricket Board hiring agent to watch team

Karachi, July 25: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to appoint a 'mole' to keep an eye on the outside-the-field activities of the players during home and away tours.

According to sources, the appointment is expected to be made in the first week of August and his assignment would begin with the Singapore tour.

The spy will shadow the team, stay in the same hotel and keep an eye on the cricketers, like who they meet, where they go and when they return to the hotel.

The sleuth, at the end of the tour, would only report to the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Interestingly, his identity would only be known to the PCB chief.

Sources added although it was yet to be decided about the professional experience of the watchdog, background of Military Intelligence has not been ruled out.

The PCB chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia neither confirmed nor denied the background of the detective but admitted that "a person would be appointed who would work undercover and report only to me. His identity would only be known to me and he would be answerable to me."

The sleuth would not only be on foreign tours, he would stay close to the team even in the home series against England and India.

"The cricketers will be briefed about the appointment of the official and his job description. But nothing more," the general said.

The introduction of a spy in is line with the recommendations of Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum who investigated the charges of corruption against the cricketers. A couple of Test playing countries have already appointed officials with similar tasks in an effort to keep their players away from bookies and other activities which could divert their attention from cricket.

In an another significant move, the PCB has decided to add a clause in the players' contract warning them they could be penalized even on circumstantial evidence.

Sources said according to the contract, the players could be fined or even banned if they were found socializing with people of suspected characters. They added that the PCB has been provided with a long list of bookies and people of dubious character by Justice Qayyum.

"The PCB will not leave any hole unplugged. The board has to safeguard the reputation of the country and the team. If the players are socializing with suspects, they will be taken to task.

"If the players are not involved in corruption, they have no business to be associating with bookies. Their meeting with such people gives credence to suspicion," sources remarked.