Pakistan cricket finds itself in the headlines for the wrong reasons yet again. Just days after young batter Haider Ali was placed under criminal investigation in the UK, another controversy has struck, this time involving one of the sport’s most well-connected player agents.
According to a report by Telecom Asia Sport, Moghees Ahmed, a registered agent who has represented stars like former captain Misbah-ul-Haq, ex-spinner Saeed Ajmal and current pace ace Naseem Shah, has been banned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over corruption charges. The disciplinary tribunal found Ahmed guilty of trying to influence player selection in county cricket through financial incentives.
Corruption approach and ECB’s action
Ahmed, who owns the International Cricketers Association, was accused of making a corrupt proposal to the head coach of a county team. In an official statement, the ECB revealed:
Mr Ahmed has been found guilty of making a corrupt approach to a coach of the county team in which he had proposed an arrangement whereby a coach would receive a share of his commission in exchange for selecting certain players he represents in franchise leagues.
The ECB said the accredited coach immediately reported the incident, leading to an investigation. Ahmed was provisionally suspended in March before the tribunal handed him a five-year suspension. Of that, a minimum of 30 months must be served, while the rest is suspended subject to good behaviour.
Moghees Ahmed was no stranger to county cricket negotiations, having previously secured deals for Saeed Ajmal and Naseem Shah, while also being involved in promotional events and endorsements. But in recent years, his name had been linked to multiple controversies over unethical practices.
