Match fixing and Pakistan is in the news once again, Scotland yard charged the three Pakistan players. This case is getting curious with the time. It is definitely not the first time match fixing in cricket has been brought up under the spot light. Many famous names are associated with matching fixing in cricket such as Hansie Cronje, Shane Warne, Mark Waugh, Saleem Malik, Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Wasim Akram and many many more. I wonder; were all of ex match fixers were any less of the culprits than these three under scrutiny?
As I am typing this ICC is about to give final verdict on the careers of these three players. Muhammad Asif, Salman Butt and Muhammad Amir are suffering from a serious weakness, that weakness is PCB. PCB is infested with fat leeches, led by clown – Mr Butt. Stockland Yard has charged the three players on the suspicion of match fixing. This is an indication, that they have some strong evidence against the players. By any chance I am not in favour of leniency with corrupt players but I would like to have an honest and neutral judgment. If ICC really wants to eradicate this issue they have to dig up the graveyard and some of the high profile previous players have to be stripped-of their records. I really do not think ICC really wants to solve the problem. They are just looking for an easy way out of this mess that has been created. ICC is acting like a failed corporation, which is only trying to save its image by demonstrating it’s supremacy over weak members of the board such.
Another not so well published incident is of a very talented Indian batsman, Suresh Raina. Sri Lanka Police had provided some evidences of Suresh Raina being in contact with bookmakers. The similarity of these two events is astonishing. But the differences are not that small either, Sri Lankan Police is no Scotland yard and this case is not being handled by a feeble cricket board like PCB. Has ICC has closed its eyes on other issues? Maybe they are not strong enough to even argue with the with the money earning son; BCCI, which has grown larger than the two elder brothers.
Looking at the financial issues of ICC and its member boards, I wonder how some of these boards manage to run their lavish affairs. A couple of ‘No Balls’, can earn hundred and thousands of dollars to a player then perhaps they are not the only one’s involved in. One would ask the blunt question about cricket board’s involvment in this lucrative market? The bookmaker, Mazhar Majeed himself mentioned that he had earned $1.5m from one test (Sydney 2010: Aus Vs Pak). A blunt thought would be: what if the players are just the tools, just another way for cricket boards to generate extra revenue? You are only bad if you get caught.
Wrong'un 