DUBAI – Two bookies belonging to an international fixing syndicateattempted to approach players during the PSL third edition in Dubai viasocial media websites, but their nefarious designs were foiled by the PCB’santi-corruption unit (ACU), sources close to the matter revealed, Geo Newshas reported.

Pakistan Cricket Board had taken stringent measures to curb the matchfixing and the spot fixing during the current PSL session.

According to evidence available with the ACU’s investigators, the bookiesattempted to approach at least three players via WhatsApp and FaceTime. Buttheir plot was thwarted when the players immediately reported the approachto the PCB.

One of the bookies is named Umar and belongs to Bangladesh, said the boardofficials. The other is believed to be from India.

A PCB official confirmed that he has solid evidence that the two bookieswere spotted in Dubai; however, they have so far managed to stay away fromthe teams’ hotel.

Following the corrupt approach, the PCB’s ACU held an emergency briefing atthe hotel, where the players were once again warned to stay vigilantagainst any attempt by bookies to taint the PSL.

According to sources, the players were also shown a photograph of one ofthe suspects, with instructions to immediately inform the board if thesuspect was spotted anywhere near the hotel.

The bookies, according to investigation conducted by the PCB, belong to aninternational mafia and have been blacklisted by the International CricketCouncil (ICC) as well as Test-playing countries.

Information available with the ICC and the UK’s National Crime Agencyindicates that both the bookies are in Dubai at the moment.

The PCB has exercised the strictest of security measures in the aftermathof a spot-fixing scandal that hit the PSL last year, which saw cricketersSharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif get suspended by the PCB for five yearsafter the board’s anti-corruption tribunal found them guilty of playing arole in the corruption.