Pakistani TV says Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Aamer was using his phone
The Pakistan cricket board has said that there was no substance to the rumour that arose from the Asia Cup game between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Tuesday that Mohammad Aamer had used a mobile phone whilst he was in the dressing room.
There were reports in the Pakistani TV channels that Aamer had been talking to someone on the phone whilst sitting in the pavilion. Aamer was waiting for his turn to bat, and had his ears to the phone according to the channels. The Pakistan TV channels said that it looked like Aamer was speaking to someone, which is against the laws of the game. The ICC laws state that mobile phones are not allowed within the dressing room during a game.
This law was introduced by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unity, after it was found that the instances of match-fixing could very well be reduced or even eradicated by disallowing the same.
Speaking of this incident, the Pakistan Cricket Board has said that the player in question did not have his cell phone with him. They have also said that Aamer was actually talking to the rest of his team-mates and discussing about the manner in which the match situation was.
The cricket board released a statement that said, the cricket manager of the side, Yawar Saeed "has confirmed to us that the rumors...are totally false and unfounded. Cell phones are not allowed under ICC & PCB rules, and as such are always collected by the security manager from every member of the squad except the manager.”
The statement has also added that the bowler was to go to bat next and was with the other players and the manage himself when the incident had occurred.
The release said that the bowler had his hand on the ears which seems to have been interpreted as though he was talking on the telephone.
The International Cricket Council also threw their weight behind the Pakistani bowler and said that the incident had been investigated and there was no suspicion of any foul play. The ICC said. "The ACSU has thoroughly investigated the alleged breach, including speaking to the relevant people involved, and is satisfied that there is no evidence of Mohammad Aamer making use of a mobile phone while sitting in the dressing room yesterday (June 15) during the match against Sri Lanka at Dambulla.
The ICC acknowledged that the video clips that had been shown on the television could be misleading as it was shown on them that he was holding the helmet in such a way that one thought that he was actually with a mobile phone.
The ICC added that they had carried out an investigation and said that the bowler was, in fact, “holding on to the front grill of his helmet, adjusting it, and at the same time making a comment to his team manager, Yawar Saeed, seated to his immediate left."
Recently, another Pakistani cricketer, Danish Kaneria had been arrested by the Essex police on charges of match-fixing, or spot-fixing as it was popularly known as. In spot-fixing, as against match-fixing, the result of the game is not fixed, because it obviously needs the collusion of many cricketers. Instead, the players are enticed into throwing their wickets away or bowling that wide, or conceding some runs in an over or playing out a maiden.
Kaneria was later released, and was free to play cricket, but the jury is still out on that one. Match-fixing had been rampant in the sport, almost like an open secret, and the lid was finally blown off it when the former South African captain, Hansie Cronje admitted to it.
Tags: