Ramiz Raja calls for using lie detectors to identify match-fixers

Ramiz Raja, the former Pakistan cricketer, reckons that lie-detectors should be used to weed out the players, who are involved in match-fixing and other unwanted scandals. His comments came after Afghanistan’s Shafiqullah Shafiq was handed a six-year ban for corruption charges. The wicketkeeper was involved in an indifferent act in the inaugural edition of the Afghanistan Premier League in 2018.

Raja, who played a major role in Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup victory under Imran Khan, mentioned that the detectors could be used like the tools used to detect coronavirus and dope-testing. Raja tried to go out of the box and put forth his opinions.

This is an outside-the-box idea: Ramiz Raja

“I wish there was an instrument to calculate this intention, just like the temperature taking tools being used for the Covid-19. We could easily red flag players who could go on to become fixers. A lie-detector test could be used,” Raja was quoted as saying in a YouTube video, reported by Cricket Pakistan.

“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,” he stated.

The 57-year-old Raja was of the opinion that it’s tough to stop someone, who is hell bent on fixing matches. As per the veteran, players could fall prey to fixing at the end of their careers since then they have nothing to lose.

“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. 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,” he added.

Pakistan cricket has been marred with a number of fixing scandals. In the late 1990s, Saleem Malik was found guilty. Then in 2010, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt got involved in the scandal at the Lord’s. Even as Amir is still in the scheme of things, Butt and Asif’s careers are as good as over. Recently, Sharjeel Khan made his comeback after being found guilty in the 2017 PSL.