Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif, who blew the whistle on cricket corruption eight years ago, believes that the format of the World Cup encourages match fixing during the group stages.
Latif felt that the 14-team line-up cricket’s marquee event in the subcontinent in which six teams have little or no chance of winning, makes them an easy target for illegal subcontinental bookmakers.
“It is obvious that the real competition will only start from the quarter-final stage, this means it encourages bookmakers to try to corrupt players to indulge in white collar spot-fixing crime in the group matches,” he said in an interview.
Latif, 42, wrote a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2003 citing his concerns about the sport.
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif, who blew the whistle on cricket corruption eight years ago, believes that the format of the World Cup encourages match fixing during the group stages.
Latif felt that the 14-team line-up cricket’s marquee event in the sub-continent in which six teams have little or no chance of winning, makes them an easy target for illegal subcontinental bookmakers.
“It is obvious that the real competition will only start from the quarter-final stage, this means it encourages bookmakers to try to corrupt players to indulge in white collar spot-fixing crime in the group matches,” he said in an interview.
Latif, 42, wrote a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2003 citing his concerns about the sport.
