Pakistan cricket is facing one of the darkest days in its history with the match-fixing revelations involving several members of the Pakistan cricket team. While the allegations have not yet been proven, the evidence on hand suggests all is not well in the Pakistan camp.
Dawn.com’s sports desk will keep an eye on the developments as the day goes on.
We also invite our readers to debate the imbroglio, its implications and what the future holds for Pakistan cricket.
Latest from the world press on the Lord’s fixing scandal:
Several Pakistani players knew Mazhar majeed
The three balls that might taint Pakistan cricket forever
Lack of killer instinct in Pakistan’s attack
Lord’s fixing scandal on internet forums, Facebook, Twitter:
@umairjav: stuart broad must be bummed at finding out he’s actually not that great a batsman
@KamranAbbasi: In the middle of the flood crisis and Ramadan, what a way to behave. An utter humiliation for Pakistan cricket on and off the field.
@cpyala: Question for Aalim Online: Does the money donated by Pak cricketers for flood relief become haraam?
@karachikhatmal: in 99 you broke my heart. but i was 16, and i learnt to love you again. i fear i am too old to love you again. why #pakcricket?
The views expressed by the reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Everytime Pakistan do well, especially in England this happens. These cricketers are not well educated and from poor families. The greed posed by the betting system is too much. To protect their own investments and gambling activities, the British are perpetrating this, possibly even entrapment, by tempting the players. Everyone does it, the Pakistani’s get caught. I think the British public should be warned about the dangers of gambling and how it can be manipulated. Betting should be banned in cricket. Banning our good players will destroy our cricket team, and not for the first time.
i dnt thnk so,thz thngz r preplan like first the finished the cricket frm Pakistan by terrorts atack ,n now by betng .jst think on it?????
Match fixing again and again. We get fooled again and again. We need to hang our head in shame. Sack them once and for all.
i am surprised to know that our stars have fixed ball to ball
what a shameful act.
they have no ethics, these uneducated cricketers were already earning in millions but they have no care of the sentiments of those who watch them, love them
they should be banned for life time if proved
First time in my life i am ashamed to call myself a Pakistani. Is that we really are. Would we ever change and start giving this country the respect what it deserves. These are the so called special and tallented people we selected to represent us and show the world that theres lots of other things about Pakistan besides suicide bombings and terrorism. But no, we are wrong they have got nothing to do with Pakistan pride or the beautiful game, all they love and think of is money.
I think this is the time to take some serious actions. I have given up on PCB already because they dont have guts to solve this problem in a reasonable manner. Either we will have to fix this up and take some really bold steps or other wise ban the whole damn thing. There are lots of other games those are suffering because of cricket.
cricket an the armed forces–were the only 2 institutions that made us all pakistani proud of…what a nation of crooks we are.Money will corrupt even the saints from that land of ours. what next??
If proven, this would be criminal activity and they should be treated like criminals. Should not stop at life ban – they should be put behind bars if we want to get rid of this menace. Most people commenting here are still in denial. Let’s confront this head on and take the short term pain for the long term good.
the NOTW under-cover reporter was told on Wednesday (the day before the match started) that Asif and Amir were going to bowl no-balls as proof that events could be pre-arranged.
this is a very sad, shameful and distressing day for supporters of pakistani cricket.
for those who “choose to wait & see” the results of the investigations, you are in cloud cuckoo land. if a genius like amir cant avoid the temptations of the betting syndicates ( he would have made a fortune through legal means in a few years anyway) God help us.
Have these people no shame? It is like adding insult to injury. If found guilty these guys should be banned for life. We already have a tainted international image and now this …. what a waste …
Lot of my friends are saying wait these are just allegations, i would remind them we shouldnt be denying the fact that British media and Police acted against Pakistani players on evidence not allegations.Thats how the law in every country is practiced so people can be questioned and if proven implement needed punishments, unfortunately in Pakistan every wrong act is termed allegation and people get by henious crimes and happily live after.
i personally this is a scam
firstly because there is no proof that when the video was shot exactly we have been blindly believing what we saw on the news and internet
secondly and most importantly how did mr Majeed knew that pakistan would be bowling even before the match had started.
thirdly the picture they are showing of salman butt with two men is also inconclusive as anyone i mean a fan or someone could on request an get his picture taken……….. like ” sir aap k sath aik tasweer ho jae? which star do you think should turn down the request.
Response to Raj Patel’s comments.
We in Pakistan also admire Sachin as a very talented circketer. I also appreciate the way BCCI handles it’s players compared to PCB. It is my feeling that India is now preparing wickets that are faverable to batsmen. This may be for IPL or other non cricketing reasons. It has certainly helped Sachin to continue to pad his record. He excuses himslef from any overseas tour where it may be hard for him to perform. I am not taking away anyyhing away from him but I cannot help but notice what may be going on. I remember how people in Pakistan wanted Javed Miadad to play a bit longer to reach next thousand level. But that did not happen. On relegion, I think if we were to follow true teaching of Islam, we would be protected from incidents like this. No relegion teaches it’s followers to be dishonest and betray trust.
Mirza Saheb, here I am not talking about SACHIN’s achievements. People of INDIA love SACHIN not only for his records but mostly due to his behaviour ON and OFF the field during the matches and also in his routine life. You may find players more talented then him, though it is hard to believe, you may not find thorough gentleman and talented players like him. Second thig you should check his record for 2010, he is a leading run getter of them all. He scored 200 in ODI last year. His records speaks themselves against Ausralia in Australia and S.Africa in S. Africa and also in PAkistan. We have our roll model in SACHIN and we are proud of him. Pakistan have talented players no doubt about it, but can someone surely call them gentleman. I don’t think so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLILvZPfhdE
Hmm this link proves two pakistani players accepted cash..this is serious
Please don’t jump to the conclusion as one is innocence unless proven guilty. Remember Shane Warne and Mark Waugh called themselves naive and got out of similar mess.
The issue is not one of Pakistan, Pakistan’s national pride or integrity. This is a pervasive malignancy, impacting every country that plays cricket and is made to happen, not by professional gamblers or professional cricketers but by “Mafia, Powers that cross borders easily and without fear or rules, Mafia Sans Frontiers”… No professional cricketer is insulated from the power of some key individuals to make a professional cricketer, perform acts, on a pitch, that are against their will. This is not about money for the cricketer. This is not an act of western media, maligning a teams reputation. Governments need to use their powers to protect the cricketers. Not attack those acts, or cricketers that the professionals are asked to perform. Puppet Masters need controlling, not the puppets. This is a serious challenge to a government and its legitimacy, just like many other events that blight a country’s progress
After 1992 World Cup and especially after 1994 England Tour when they sacked Javed Miandad and made Wasim Akram captian, It started all this mess. Basit Ali & Racshi Latif retired because of match fixing involvement of Wasim & Co. Justice Qayyum punished several people including Inzamam. Later Inzamam was made a captain. Now, These allegation hence some of us still believe that Our cricketers are clean?
Personally, I think that even if they all found guilty, We will see if not all then most of them back into the team in a near future.
I feel sad at the state of Pakistan Cricket. I stopped watching these jokers long time ago but still use to keep tab on them once in a while via net. After this blog, I would hate myself even following Pakistan Cricket team. Such a waste of time. I wish i can go back in time in late 80’s and early 90’s when we all enjoyed our boys atleast competing every single game regardless of the results.
I will urge all of you also that instead of wasting your precious time following these guys, Do something more productive in your life. Ciao.
All the players involved should be banned for life. I will never place a bet where Pakistan team is playing. The brought shame to the country and that too during Ramazan. Many people will stop watching Pakistan games.
It is another shameful day in our long histroy. Anybody blaming western media should have the courage ti accept reality. We are going no where by blaming others. So much for the love of Pak cricket. Never again will I watch a game without suspecting my fellow countrymens’ every action.
If this is true, it is very unfortunate that during this crisis period where million of people in Pakistan are fighting for survival and besides, in the holy month of Ramadan, our cricket ambassadors have behaved in such a criminal manner. All those found involved in this crime deserve no mercy and should be given exemplary punishment.
The PCB president, if he has any moral or ethic values should immediately step down as he has failed as a leader of Pakistan cricket.
Prime Minister should immediately ask Supreme Court to appoint a Judge and initiate invesitgation. The team manager and coaches should be terminated as due to their lose controls few individuals had brought disrespect to the country.
@Raj Patel. Before giving us lecture to us Pakistani’s who to emulate can you kindly tell us what happened with IPL? Weren’t match fixing going at the event at the highest level and how come all the bookies lead ends up in India? We have short comings and we know our short comings but to have someone from across the border lecture us when they are accused of the same stuff boils my blood. You and your players are not saints. Yes our players got caught and they deserve jail time if convicted but kindly dont lecture us as you and your players are not different from us. If you have used the example of Australia or England I would have kept quiet but Indian players???? give me a break over here. Lalit modi the biggest crook out there and he is not Pakistani…. end of story.
every body is talking about no balls bowled but what imoact these ball had on the match, its just a conspiracy against the most talented in the world and why all these conspiracies happen before an upcoming icc event (THEWORLDCUP) and that also against pakistan ,i think the bccp and icc should directly havea look at these incidents.Its just a conspiracy.INSHAALLAH.
Stop this mob hesteria. A tabloid news paper has created a news implicating Pakistani cricketers. We have no idea what truly happened. It is not that we were hammering the English team that our team needed to be bribed to perform poorly. Our team has been loosing consistently for quit sometime now. Let’s wait and allow the accusers to prove their claims. Players need to be given the opportunity to defend. We have a history of misbehaving and over reacting.
IF convicted, these players should be banned for life and ashamed in the public eye.
Question arises will PCB deliver this time or it will be doing same mistakes as they did in the past. Match fixing or Spot Fixing should be criminally investigated, rather investigated by enquiry committes. If a person gives or takes a bribe he is charged for that offense then why does not Cricket Players should be, they have not only sold the Nation’s pride but also the emotions of all cricket lover around the world.
In the past we had enquires specially Justice Qayyum Enquiry which put life time Ban on Salim Malik.
Salim Malik was ban for life time at a time when he was about to retire any way.
Match fixing invloves Millions of Rupees, but the fines put on those players were not even 10% of ammount taken by each player.
Kamran Akmal playing for Pakistan since 2002, Salman Butt playing for Pakistan since 2003, Muhammad Asif playing for Pakistan since 2005, Mohammad Amir and Saeed Ajmal playing for Pakistan since 2009 and Umar Amin and Wahab Riaz both made a debut in this tour…All of them from Punjab…surely also spoiling the image of the province…
I wrote all this to remind the world of how young these players were in the world of cricket…no doubt they have reliable and extraordinary talent…and yet they resorted to unacceptable means of earning money….let alone from hurting the image of Pakistan, they have also disreputed our Islamic teachings…They should be jailed and banned for life….And i must add this is the result of illiteracy we have in our country…