Pakistan cricket is undergoing a severe soul searching for ways to restore its international pride after three of its top players were jailed over a match-fixing scandal in England. Former Test captain Salman Butt was on Thursday handed a 30-month prison term while Mohammad Asif got a year and Mohammad Aamer six months for their roles in fixing the Lord’s Test against England last year.
The scandal rocked the cricket world and left Pakistan’s millions of loyal fans feeling betrayed in a country where the game is an obsession. “It is really introspection time for Pakistan cricket,” said former captain Ramiz Raja. “We don’t need cricketers who sell their souls to the devil, but we need players who are good ambassadors and play for the honour.” The International Cricket Council (ICC) came down hard on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in the wake of the scandal, directing them to take strict measures and warning that failure could lead to their suspension. The PCB have shown willingness to clean up the sport but experts say Pakistan will face a tough time in the months and years ahead following the worst scandal since South African captain Hansie Cronje was banned for life in 2000.
Pakistan is also facing a huge challenge in bringing international cricket back to a country which has not hosted any top-drawer matches since militants attacked the visiting Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March 2009. Cronje’s former team-mate David Richardson, now ICC general manager cricket, said it was a tough period for the sport in South Africa after their match-fixing scandal.
Scotland Yard stopped PCB punishing players
Scotland Yard had stopped Pakistan cricket authorities from taking any action against players involved in the spot-fixing scandal, fearing it may have prejudiced any criminal enquiry, a report seen by AFP revealed on Sunday. Former Test captain Salman Butt received 30 months, Mohammad Asif 12 months, Mohammad Aamer six months and their agent Mazhar Majeed 32 months in prison for their roles in fixing part of the Lord’s Test against England last year. The scandal, which rocked the cricket world, surfaced only after a sting operation by the now defunct British tabloid News of the World in August last year. Scotland Yard raided Pakistan’s team hotel in London and interrogated the players before allowing them to leave the country only after assurances from Pakistan authorities they would return for further investigation. The Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard wrote a letter to the then chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on September 1, 2010 asking them not to take any action against the players. The PCB has come in for serious criticism from former players and analysts for not taking any action, but the letter — a copy of which has been seen by AFP – stopped the authorities from taking any action.
