The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly taken steps to minimise the risk of corruption during the Champions Trophy, which starts in the United Kingdom on Thursday, in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Cricket around the world continues to be under crisis with former Bangladeshi captain Mohammad Ashraful admitting his involvement in match-fixing during a BPL game, the Daily Times reports.
According to the report, players will have to surrender their mobile phones when they board the team coach to travel to matches, with ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) officials monitoring their behaviour around the hotels.
The report further said that six of the eight teams taking part in the tournament, including their support staff, have been given an hour-long presentation by ACSU officials on how to spot danger signs and raise concerns, adding that New Zealand and England will receive their presentation after Thursday's match.
According to the report, Indian cricket has been embroiled in a fixing scandal for weeks, with the arrest of three players, including Test player S.Sreesanth, 11 bookmakers and the resignation of several key figures in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Meanwhile, the global cricket controversy took another turn as former Australian cricketer Tim May quit as head of the international players' union after eight years amid allegations of threats and intimidation, the report added.