Pakistan Cricket marred by match-fixing scandal
Amidst what could be termed an embarrassing display of performance by Pakistan following the world record eighth wicket Partnership between Stuart Broad and Jonathan Trott, Pakistan cricket team is now in the limelight for another match fixing scandal.
It is amazing, indeed mind baffling how the cricket team, who have had a spate of poor performances in the last few months, could even conjure up the gall to be involved in spot fixing the final Test match at Lords, which in the words of Captain Salman Butt a few days ago, “Pakistan have a good chance of levelling the series 2-2”.
Following his predictions for Pakistan team, praising their grit character and determination, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Salman-c88163 also pointed out how this team was a relatively “new unit” and they must be given some time for they should not be expected to win all the test matches and there will be good and bad results. So much so for the bad results. With the entire country in turmoil, facing the worst ever floods, the best Butt and his henchmen could have done was to indulge in a display of incredulous moral depravity for the final test at Lords. What a shame.
With Pakistan cricket already affected by a multitude of woes, including doping, to infighting to ball tampering and bad governance, this proves to be the final nail in the coffin – only if there is any final nail for Pakistani cricket fans. The entire nation looks up to the national cricket team in times of stress, hoping that maybe for a few minutes in the day, the team could bring a smile on their wrinkled faces, misery struck by the greatest natural calamity and humanitarian disaster the world has seen.
According to media reports, it was claimed by the News of the World that some members of the Pakistan cricket team were involved in match fixing in the ongoing final test at Lords. Following media reports, Scotland Yard investigated the allegations that led to the arrest of a bookie and the interrogation of several Pakistani cricket players. With the captain, the brilliant pace duo of Amir and Asif, the ‘handicapped’ wicket keeper of Pakistan Kamran Akmal along with a few other players who were unnamed were also questioned for their activities on the tour. Kamran Akmal, not only renowned for having butterfingers, has also been involved in infighting with the team; his presence has been pure torture for Pakistani cricket fans.
"Pakistan cricket has seen every possible mishap, but allegations of spot-fixing is one of the greatest mishaps and it remains to be seen how our cricket comes out of it," said former spinner and ex-chief selector Iqbal Qasim.
The outcome of particular deliveries is known as spot fixing, and has been claimed to account for millions of dollars in the illegal betting market.
The latest allegations come to the fore, naming a London based http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mazhar-c75448 Majeed for taking 150,000 pounds to convince Mohammad Amir who tore through the English batting line-up in the first innings and fellow opening bowler Asif, to bowl three no-balls to order for a “million dollar betting syndicate”. The no ball by Amir was as reported on one site, “an enormous no-ball a good half a metre over the line.
Pakistani players have also been accused in the past for being involved in match fixing and throwing matches, and were accused of throwing their semi final in 1987 World Cup. However, those claims were never substantiated.
During February, following a complete whitewash at the hands of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, an inquiry committee was set up, that led to a ban of senior players including Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik along with Rana Naved. While Afridi and the Akmal brothers were heavily fined by the Pakistan cricket board.
In lieu of these charges against the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Scotland-c756 Yard investigation reveal. Nevertheless, whatever the case may be, if the Pakistani players are implicated in this preposterous act of spot fixing, then the PCB needs to come down hard on these players to set future precedent for those that follow. ICC must also find this as an opportunity to set an example with future players that they must abide by the law and play the game of the gentleman in a manner befitting of this game or else they must find their way back home, forgetting that they even had anything as much as a career in cricket.
The manager of the Pakistan cricket team Yawar Saeed confirmed that the case was under investigation, with the police showing up at the team hotel in Swiss Cottage at 7.30pm, shortly after the close of an eventful day of the final test where Pakistan were edging down to the brink of defeat after having lost 14 wickets in the day.
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