A year on from the
spot-fixing scandal that ended in long bans for three leading Test
players, Pakistani cricket is still struggling to recover.
In late August 2010, Britain’s now-defunct News of the World
tabloid alleged that captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Amir
and Mohammad Asif had arranged deliberate no-balls for money from an
agent during the Lord’s Test against England.
“We were settling in the hotel after coming from the third day’s play
when police raided the team hotel, showed us documentation and searched
the rooms of the players,” then-team manager Yawar Saeed told AFP.
“It was earth-shattering and I couldn’t believe my ears for the first 20 minutes.”
Pakistan lost the match by an innings and 225 runs the following day
as a visibly upset Butt tried his best to hide his shock, and the claims
of spot-fixing at the spiritual home of cricket shook the game around
the world.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) pulled the trio from the one-day
series which followed and Scotland Yard investigated the players before
they were allowed to return home on condition they would return for
criminal proceedings.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) went on to suspend them and
an anti-corruption tribunal led by senior lawyer Michael Beloff heard
their case in Doha in January and February this year.
Butt was given a ten-year ban with five years suspended, Asif seven
years with two years suspended and Amir a flat five-year ban,
effectively meaning all three will be out of action for five years.
The gifted Amir is still only 19 and could yet make a return to the
game, but Butt and Asif will be into their 30s by the time their bans
expire, and their international careers appear to be over.
Pakistan have not fared badly since the England tour, drawing a Test
series against a strong South Africa side, beating New Zealand away and
reaching the semi-final of the World Cup.
But Saeed said Pakistan was still feeling the loss of three star players who could have led the side into the future.
“In Salman we had a young captain who in his first Test as leader
defeated Australia and then in Amir we had a world-class fast bowler who
even in his early days was lethal,” said Saeed, who quit his post after
the scandal-hit tour.
“I still feel they were set up but the fault lies with them and it
seems they did it for temporary monetary gains. Even today it’s
hair-raising when I remember that incident,” said Saeed, who refused to
accept the management could have done anything to prevent what happened.
“We barred their agents coming into their hotel rooms but we couldn’t
stop them from talking to someone on the phone. Had we known, we would
have taken every possible step.”
Forced by the ICC, the PCB took measures to prevent a repeat in the
future, forming an “integrity committee” to look into players’ assets
and adding stringent clauses on match-fixing to players’ central
contracts.
PCB chairman Ijaz Butt admitted the loss of three key players had
been devastating for a cricket-mad country where the game is often a
unifying force in adversity.
“Losing three players hurt us badly,” said Butt. “Salman had shown
great potential as captain but after that case we had to look around for
a permanent captain and it was tough.”
The side suffered yet another blow earlier this month with the
surprise resignation of coach Waqar Younis, who stepped down after less
than 18 months in charge, citing “personal grounds”.
Captain Misbahul Haq has said the side wants to give Waqar a fitting
send-off with a successful Test and one-day international tour of
Zimbabwe.
Pakistan have sent a new-look side to the African nation and their fans will hope they bring back brighter hopes for the future.
News By :tribune.com.pk
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