Cricket in Pakistan had witnessed a sudden downfall when fast bowler Mohammad Amir was banned for a minimum of five years by the ICC’s anti-corruption tribunal back in 2011 along with Mohammad Asif for their role in match-fixing. Apart from Amir and Asif, opening batsman, Salman Butt was also changed for his involvement in spot-fixing and served a five-year suspension.
Speaking on a talk show, former Pakistan pacer, Shoaib Akhtar has accused his former colleagues of match-fixing when he said that he was playing against the opposition as well as his own teammates.
n the show ‘Rewind With Samina Peerzada’, Akhtar said, “I was always of the belief that I can never cheat Pakistan, no match-fixing. I was surrounded by match-fixers. I was playing against 22 people (sic) — 11 theirs and 10 ours. Who knows who was the match-fixer. There was so much match-fixing. (Mohammad) Asif told me which all matches they had fixed and how they did it.”
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Recalling Mohammad Amir, who represented Pakistan in the World Cup 2019 in England, and Mohammad Asif, Shoaib said that he was really hurt and angry when he heard about the fixing.
Shoaib elaborated, “I tried to make Amir and Asif understand. What a waste of talent. When I heard about this, I was so upset that I punched the wall. Pakistan’s two top bowlers, smart, intelligent and the two perfect fast bowlers were wasted. They sold themselves for a little money.”
While Amir had come back to international cricket, Asif and Salman Butt never managed to revive their carriers.
Amir was part of the Pakistan team in World Cup 2019. However, in July, the southpaw fast bowler shocked the cricketing world when he decided to retire from the longest format at the age of 27. He had bid adieu to Test cricket on July 26 with immediate effect, saying he wanted to focus on white-ball cricket.
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The punishment of fixing keeps rearing its ugly head in some shape or form in today’s cricket as well. Only a few days back, Shakib Al Hasan — star Bangladesh all-rounder — was handed a two-year ban from cricket, with one year suspended, after he failed to inform authorities about being approached by a bookmaker on multiple occasions in 2018.
