Match-fixing major reason for Pakistan's poor showing Down Under
Published: Mar 16, 2010 01:11 Updated: Mar 16, 2010 01:11
KARACHI: Senators probing into what one of them termed as the 'Pakistan cricket mess' have found disturbing evidence that match-fixing was one of the major reasons behind Pakistan's catastrophic tour of Australia.
Abddul Ghaffar Qureshi, chairman of Senate's Standing Committee on Sports, told Arab News on Monday, "more than one player of the current national team was involved in match-fixing". He added that the Senate committee will pursue this issue and will push for "criminal proceedings" against the culprits.
"We grilled the PCB officials in a meeting today and have found evidence that more than one of our players were involved in match-fixing," Ghaffar said.
"It is a matter of grave importance and we believe that the PCB should do more to punish players who are bringing shame to our country. We would not only recommend life bans against them but would push for criminal proceedings against match-fixers," he stressed.
Qureshi and fellow Senators met with top PCB officials including Ijaz Butt - the Board chairman - in Lahore to question them over Pakistan's poor showing in Australia. Pakistan lost all their matches against the Aussies and earlier this month the Board banned or fined seven of the team's leading members for offences ranging from indiscipline to ball tampering.
The ugly menace of match-fixing, however, wasn't mentioned by the PCB when it slapped players like Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal with strict penalties.
But Senator Haroon Akhtar declared that there is a strong mafia of match-fixers within the team and the players involved protect each other's interests. He also feared that match-fixing could be the root cause behind the debacle Down Under.
"From whatever we've heard and seen during today's meeting it was quite obvious that monetary benefits were involved," he told Arab News.
When asked whether the senators were given any concrete proofs, Akhtar said that the evidence was circumstantial yet convincing.
"You can't catch them (players) taking bags full of money," he said. "But from what we've gathered from the three-hour meeting, it seems that the PCB is holding back a lot more things than what they've showed us. Today, the Board has just shared some of their burden with us."
Haroon said that the PCB seems willing to dismantle a match-fixing mafia, which he believes exists within the team.
"The players involved in match-fixing form groups and protect each other. There is a mafia within the team. It's a mess but the Board is ready to take strong action."
Haroon, however, also took a swipe at the PCB top brass, saying that it was evident that their weaknesses allowed such crimes to go unnoticed.
"It seems that match-fixing has been going on for at least the last two years," he said. "When the management is week, such things will happen," he added.
Haroon said that the PCB should take exemplary action against the players involved in match-fixing.
"No matter how good they are, I believe that the culprits should get exemplary punishment."
When asked to name the match-fixing suspects, Haroon said that it was up to the Board to single them out.
"But I think that they are trying to cover it up because of certain pressures," he said referring to the fact that Pakistan are to defend their ICC World Twenty20 title in the West Indies from April 30.
"The Board is not in an enviable position," he said. I'm sure you will see some tough actions after the Twenty20 World Cup," he said adding that the PCB wants to delay action at least till the assignment in the Caribbean.
But he warned that it could be a bad move.
"It's just the tip of the iceberg," said Haroon regarding suspicion that more than one national cricketer is involved in match-fixing. "Things, I fear, could be much worse."
Senator Tahir Mashhadi told this correspondent that the committee made it clear that there should be zero tolerance for match-fixers.
"Match-fixing, it's apparent also led to grouping and infighting within our team," he said.
"We've asked the Board to throw out such players because there is no dearth of talent in our country. We can get new Miandads, new Zaheers, new Imran Khans to replace the players who've been selling our country."
Mashhadi said that the committee has backed PCB for its actions against the players. However, he said that the Board should not fine Shahid Afridi, as he has already been punished for ball tampering. "You cannot punish some one twice for the same crime," he said.
Mashhadi said that the committee has also managed to resolve the differences between Butt and Javed Miandad, the former captain currently serving as PCB's director-general.
"Butt has told us that Miandad is his right-hand man. They've shook hands and I'm sure the matter is resolved."
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