BETTING AMONG YOUNG CRICKETERS IN RAWALPINDI AND ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Cricket is the most sensational and renowned sport in the world. Betting is the dark side which darkens the true spirit of this sport. The standard of the point, investigated the financial effect of betting of young cricket players and identify the noteworthiness for the cricketer’s inclusion in wagering. It examines the attribute of betting and the role of the bookie in cricket betting. Wagering could be a limit key by various players all throughout the world. Betting in cricket prove itself to be the smart way of richness in a short period of time. Literature revealed that Pakistan super league and Indain prime league is a turning point when businessmen invest in the matches. It turned into a match fixing and hub of betting. This leads bookie’s attention towards local grounds and they attract local players towards betting. This study draws the investigated that the betting is no longer the physical activity it can be played at anytime and anywhere. This thesis also breaks the myth of having crowed to perform betting. There is no cricketer based investigation of betting among young players in Pakistan. This study proves concentrate local and cricket club player’s commitment in bet practice and the majority causes of betting. Rational choice theory illustrates this scenario well as people attracted towards it by their own choice. They achieve their goals through short way and end up earning profit which is their basic need. The theatrical framework investigated the betting in cricket matches are being fixed for their collective and personal need or motivations, where players are themselves involved to act such behavior. In this process sometimes the individual lose is considered the collective win. Players in cricket match are involved in betting due to internal and external pressures. The social pressure and money linked conditions causing bookmaking the internal pressure included the personal motivation and behavior towards the certain act or the action. This finding is extracted from in-depth interviews of qualitative v approach. Sample size is 15, 10 in-depth interviews were taken from cricket players and 5 in-depth interviews were taken from bookies. Sample was purposive sampling selected from some cities of Punjab and capital city Islamabad. Data was collected and sfter coding it analyzed through software of Nvivo.The result rejected the myth of less gambling in open small grounds. It is hidden but findings extracted is to break the myth that the crowd has a role in gambling in one or another way. The second strange finding is to reveal the chain of gambling that starts from street persons and ends at the heavy party by linking the agents and players. The third distinctive finding is to find the way of transferring of assets by “Hawala Hundai” method. The fourth unique finding is to illustrate that the gambling scale at low level local tournaments is far bigger than the national and international tournaments. The findings from this study provide an important starting point for more comprehensive investigations about the impact and influence of betting on young cricketers and society. This study suggests that there is no single factor that propels young cricketers to perform betting. Betting is not only affecting the young cricketers physically and mentally but also has devastating effects on society as it is against our social norms. Betting cannot be completely eradicated but can be minimized by applying different strategies at a different level. Higher authorities and guardians of local young cricketers have responsibilities to save their talents through proper guidance and counseling. This study proves focus on local and cricket club player’s bond in batting practice and the predominance causes of betting. Many factors together lead the players towards betting and bookies play important role in it.