Cricket Match between England and Pakistan Rigged: Fixer Caught Red-handed Accepting Money

The ordinary people in Pakistan are reeling from the floods which, by all accounts is the worst in its history. So, the cricket team that represents the country is supposed to play in a clean manner at a sensitive time not only to improve the battered image of the country, but also to lift the morale of its cricket-crazy people. Unfortunately, the team has done nothing to address either.

On the contrary, they have not only let down their countrymen in the hour of their need, but also brought the game to disrepute – and at the birth place of the very game, the Lords. Their behaviour makes mockery of the religious observations made by the team during the Ramadan.

An undercover reporter from the News of the World paper from London reported last night that a fixer named Mazhar Majeed struck a deal with him to fix the match for £150000.

The photographs of the fixer accepting the cash are flashed across the front page of the paper. It will anger the Pakistani fans, both at home and across the world, to the core. Pakistani fans who got the wind of the news are already venting their fury in blogs.

The fixer has identified Salman Butt, Pakistani Captain, as the ring leader; wicket keeper Kamran Akmal had also been named as a culprit. After accepting part of the cash, Majeed had promised the undercover man that he would prove how it worked and he did – Pakistani players have delivered no-balls at the time Majeed predicted that they would do during the last Test match at the Lords: Star bowler Amir did deliver the promised no-ball on Friday.

Majeed had boasted that seven corrupt players are in his pocket. Whether he is referring to the whole Pakistan team or the other team members from the Indian subcontinent, remains to be exposed.

Meanwhile, Scotland Yard had arrested a man for questioning and Pakistani players will be interviewed soon with the aid of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The first man to handle the issue will be Ranjan Madugalle, the match referee and the former Sri Lankan captain. However, the issue is so serious that it requires the involvement of the chairman of the International Cricket Council to sort out the mess in the game.

- Asian Tribune -