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Shame and anger best describes the feelings of many Pakistanis to fresh allegations of match fixing by their national cricket stars. When the “News of the World,” a popular British tabloid, exposed a scam on Sunday involving a conspiracy by members of Pakistan’s cricket team to defraud U.K. bookmakers, it left Pakistanis reeling.
“I’m embarrassed to say that I’m Pakistani," said Mustafa, a junior high student in Islamabad.
Samiullah Khan, a 30-year-old computer technician, said he felt personally betrayed. “I am disappointed,” he said. "Our team should hang their heads in shame; they have brought disgrace upon themselves and upon all of us.”
The “News of the World” said it paid more than $200,000 to a middleman to deliver details on 3 “no-balls” -- balls that are called foul by umpires -- in the test match, which ended on Sunday in a stunning defeat for Pakistan. A test match can last up to 5 days where each team may play twice in two innings to win, draw or lose.
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The newspaper’s account, with an accompanying video, alleged that the two star bowlers, Mohammed Amir and Mohammed Asif, were paid to deliver the “no balls” at the exact points in the match as agreed upon with the fixer. It’s called “spot fixing” or “micro fixing.” It’s inside information on when players agree to act in a predetermined manner, usually at a particular time, to influence betting. While “spot fixing” often does not affect a game’s outcome, it can still earn millions for syndicates setting odds on specific details of the game or the players.
The third largest bookmaker in Pakistan was skeptical about the “News of the World" expose and thought the U.K. media was blowing the whole incident out of proportion. “On this video they are showing an exchange of £150,000 ($230,000) to spot fix,” he said. I have my doubts about this man in the video because I am sure that if the players were involved in this, then the rates would have been much higher. It would have been many millions of pounds not a mere hundred plus, so something is wrong here” he pointed out.
Over the weekend, the story snowballed into headline news in the Pakistani media. For the first time in more than a month, the devastating floods that have devoured a fifth of the country and affected more than 20 million people were pushed aside on the TV channels and in the daily newspapers. The video of the “News of the World” sting was played over and over again.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Yusuf Reza Gilani, said the allegations “had caused a huge embarrassment for the entire nation. I am hurt."
Pakistan’s president, Asif Zardari, ordered that he be apprised of the ongoing investigation in the U.K. after Scotland Yard was brought in to interrogate the team’s players and arrested the middleman, Mazhar Majid, on suspicion of fraud.
Cricket is the national obsession in Pakistan, almost as revered to Pakistanis as their religion. Young boys and old men -- even the Taliban -- bat the ball in parks and in parking lots all across the country. For most Pakistanis, weighed down by food shortages, electricity shortages, the unimaginable losses wreaked upon the country by the monsoon floodwaters and the ever present threat of terrorism, this cricket scandal seemed to be the last straw.
But this was not the first time that Pakistan’s cricket team have been involved in scandal. Cricket scams became so common in Pakistan that in 1999 the government of Nawaz Sharif appointed a judicial committee to investigate charges of match fixing. Many of the national players were fined and banned for life.
Fahad, a university student in Islamabad, seemed to sum up the national mood. “They should be hanged,” he said. "I am more angry than sad and I think they should be hanged when they come back to Pakistan.”
Fakhar Rehman and Shahid Qazi contributed to this report.
Leave a Comment:
Not surpising. Happy Ramadan, everyone.
Why not surprising for you Paul?
Surely the journalists at the News of the World are just as guilty of match fixing.
They have made money (selling papers) by bribing someone to fix part of a match, is that any different to a criminal gang making money (gambling) by bribing somone to fix part of a match ?
Regards
Andy
Ah, yes, I forgot. Before we jump to high over this - let usnot forget the UK Parliamentary expenses scandal and certian other prominent people taking money to make connections herem there and everywhere. Any politicians in Pakisan under a cloud of corruption?
Pakistani politicians love the corruption flavor when it comes to smoking hukkah's.
like people like leadership....what else do you expect?
George W. Bush (an average C+ student, just like the rest of the nation).
Third drug addict president we've elected.
ROTFLMAO: beats the Muslim idiot we have now!
They should be HANGED? Isn't that a bit extreme? I mean, come on. It's not like it's football.
;)
I totally agree with you.
Yes, of course, stoning them to death would be more appropriate.
Easy! It's also neither basket ball nor baseball . Heck, it's not even golf or soccer. We've got no oar in this boat. Let's keep it that way.
Not a damned bit ashamed that they give aid and comfort to terrorists...but this...THIS...cheating in a national pastime just can't be tolerated:
@BehrFacts: Are you guys ashamed to start the whole Taliban movement in the first place against the Soviets? Or for waging illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as per UN charter? Are you NOT ashamed that your religious institutions are paying back in millions to hush the kids they abused as priests?
Does this really suprise anyone? Their whole religion condones lying, especially to us infidels. Hang them? Doubtful, at least not for cheating. Maybe for getting caught.
Maybe we should have a Cricket game for control of Afghanistan instead of a war. May the best team win.
LOL.. good one.
WOW ! ! ! I would have thought it would be BILLIONS of Pounds in payoff money for a couple of crooked cricket bowlers from Pakistan.
OK, let me get this straight. Flooded out Pakistan citizens are homeless by the millions, serious starvation and disease is setting in, and cricket is what they are concerned about. Cricket?
Wake up Greg, it's just your media :)
BensOil, an infinite virtual slaps session has been initiated for your gay comment. You should go back to your church and sit in your priests lap. Only then you will qualify as a child to tell nothing but truth.
just like here my friend,on the aniversary of katrina...but this will only show you how far those superior muslims will go to get the infidels
Maybe the bookies that had the two Pakistanis fix the outcome were actually black-mailing the players. Maybe they had some juicy secret about them... like maybe one of their sisters showed a little cheek bone... or maybe they didn't stone to death their female cousin after a gang of marauding scum gang-raped her. You never do know about these things. Even the Taliban don't cheat at cricket.
How shameful... just plain shameful... especially for such a highly esteemed country like Pakistan!
we need more suicide bombers at these cricket matches
We have already arrested by mighty flood and torrential rain,it embarrassed us more,what
should do as a nation at this stage,what happened there ,still thinking but brain has expired
really expired,if they committed they destroyed national image ,liable to sever sentence,they will
find no sympathy on behalf of the nation.
Leave it to the pakistani pigs, the number one cheats and liars in the world ,for such low life actions.This should come as no suprise,because this is TAKKIYA in action. Lie and cheat to achieve your goals,but be a devout muslim in your heart.No pun intended. This beggar nation along with its population of pigs should be washed away from planet Earth.I just wish it should rain some more...............................
Someone - Anyone - Please tell me that these individuals were not muslim - please! Please tell me that they were not loyal or dedicated or devoted to islam. I don't believe this could happen especially now when the world is digging deep in their pockets to help this nation who so desperately needs food, water, and assistance to get back on their feet. Please tell me that there is some integrity in Packistan. Someone - anyone - please tell me that the team is without blemish and would not bring shame to Pakistan, muslims, or islam. Someone tell me that this is good team and would not bring shame of dishonor to Pakistan, and not reflect bad on muslim or islam. World has too many problems - this is not good!
There is integrity in Pakistan
Who cares save the crickets those little bastards cant run fast enough!!
MsnbcHustler ... I am not surprised - somewhere, someone is reported to have said ... the love of money is the root of all evil. Pakistani-born crooks are not different from those elsewhere in our world. Politicians taking brown envelopes here in the UK (Expenses Scandal which is stilll bubbling); the wonderful euphemisn "lobbying" that is used by some; Governors wanting to sell their high office, head teachers making space for scholars; a high profile lady wanting money to introduce people to her husband who has "connections" and the now common not-so-merry-go-round of suing and counter-suing. Need I go on and on? I am not suprised at all and for those who are religious, forget it! Someone in the inner-circle reportedly sold his leader for 30-pieces of silver! It is just cricket, old chap!
Come on What a little wager amongst Friends.
The hate from most of you on this thread is just amazing! You folks need to relax a little and stop being so paranoid. Not everyone from Pakistan or the Mideast is out to kill you. Your comments are not only shameful, but also very UN-AMERICAN!
Yes, Pakistan has a lot of issues at the moment but take a close look at the ridiculous border that exists with Afghanistan and the effects of the war that has been waged there for the past 9 years. The US cant even keep its own border sealed from Mexico - how do you expect a poor nation like Pakistan to seal one that consists of perhaps some of the most inhospitable terrain in world? Millions of Afghans, including thousands of Al Qaeda and Taliban scum, have managed to cross over into Pakistan because it is simply impossible to stop them. Of course there is going to be instability in Pak - what else did Bush expect when he bombed the crap out of a country (Afghanistan) that was already in the stone ages!
There is no doubt the Pakistani govt and people need to wise up. Having said that, the vast majority (well over 90% I assure you) want nothing more than to live a peaceful life just like ordinary people anywhere in the world.
Finally, as an American of Pakistani descent, I would give my life...give my life that is for this great country that I now call home. The vast majority of Pakistanis/Muslims in the US do feel the same way - but you wont hear that on Fox news or Rush L.
We hear even from bombers that they will give life for the US! Not even worth trusting a word of what you people say/post!
Cricketers play so many test matches, I keep wondering when they ever play the real thing.
When they return home please do not cut their heads off or stone them to death.
Not at all surprising! The whole Pakistan, a pure Islamic nation, stinks!
Anything you touch in Pakistan or a Pakistani around the world, there is a scandal! Rest will be a bunch of lies, spins, excuses, blames and some nonsense arguments to sidetrack the poor morals, values, double dealings, double standards and cheating and stealing!
Yes, but the Koran says those are GOOD morals!
Bill: Virgins in heaven will need Koran and so it is time to pack all the available ones in earth to where it belongs!
So far as I can tell, almost everything in Pakistan has an "angle" to it. The scariest part is...this nation has nuclear weapons. When morals/decency are replaced by "whats in it for moi. This is why Pakistan is having trouble getting the world to donate funds for flood relief...because nobody trusts the government to do the "right" thing. How sad for those who so desperately need help. Peace.