Match-fixing among Pak players took place since 1994 — Report

One senior cricketer told the investigation in October 1998 that therewere only four Pakistan players "whom I consider absolutely clean”. Anotherplayer, not named for legal reasons, said, "I can’t disclose the names of the main culprits, though as a matter of fact, the entire team is involved inmatch-fixing and betting except one player.”

A now retired player, referring to Pakistan’s 1994 tour of New Zealand saidhe was told "we have to lose the match” as a deal had been struck. He said:"I was offered thousands of dollars. I told him (a member of the team) Iwould think about it. There were also four or five other players and it wasobvious that they must also have been offered money.” He had decided not tobe a party to match-fixing. The next morning, he was reprimanded when he took a catch. He was told again, "We have to lose this match”.

New Zealand won that game by seven wickets. In that game, one player told theinvestigation intentional wides were bowled: "There was a threat of the match being washed out due to rain, which led the bowlers to bowl deliberately in (a) way that the scoring rate could be accelerated.” He also alleged that two deliveries were deliberately bowled so wide that both resulted in four byes.

A bookmaker told the investigation that "most of the matches played byPakistan and other teams are fixed”. He revealed he had paid two players"$100,000… on behalf of someone for fixing a match in Sri Lanka. Theamount was paid so that Pakistan should lose, which they did”.

Said a prominent Pakistan official in his evidence: "I was absolutely surethat match-fixing and betting was going on in the Pakistan team.” He thenoutlined the problem of gaining concrete evidence from a certain player, whohad verbally told him that he had been told by the twelfth man, not to playwell:"I asked him to make the statement in writing. He promised to come over to me and do the needful. Later on, he informed me that he could not do the needful as promised because his brother was threatened by direconsequences… if he delivered the statement in writing.”

Another leading Pakistani figure confirmed the story of a paceman being paidby one of his colleagues to bowl badly. He said in 1994, he had gone tothe Pakistani board "… and said that stern action should be taken againstthe culprits, even though other players might subsequently lose matches. In my opinion, expediency came in the way of the administrators in imposing somepunishment as at that time the Pakistan team was very strong and they did notwant to disrupt it.”

The evidence will make it harder for the Pakistani cricket authorities toproduce a face-saving version of Justice Qayyum’s report. It also blows thelid on Pakistan cricket board chairman, Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia’sassessment that there was "no planned match-fixing” by the Pakistan side.

Justice Qayyum has already contradicted the claim of Pakistan’s cricket officials that his investigation has cleared its players of wrong doing. He says he recommended a life ban for Salim Malik and stringent punishments for Mushtaq Ahmad and Wasim Akram.

Last week, Zia had said the Justice Qayyum report, to be made public soon, found "no planned match-fixing” by the whole team. He said, "Pakistan’s image will not be stained over this: we are giving a lesson to others.”

But Justice Qayyum, who has waited seven months for the release of his report, has disclosed some of his most damning recommendations to The Sunday Telegraph (ST). When asked whether he recommended a life ban for former Pakistan captain Salim Malik, the Justice said, "That is correct”. Had he also suggested a similar punishment for Mushtaq Ahmed? "I can’t say, but the answer isn’t no,” he said. Asked what was in store for Wasim Akram, Justice Qayyum said, "I can tell you that he has not got off scot-free”.

Commenting on Zia’s interpretation of his report, Justice Qayyum told the ST:"It depends on how you look at it. He is looking from a certain angle and there can be another way of looking at it. But I don’t know from what angle he is looking. The one thing he is right in saying is that there was no planned match-fixing by the team as a whole.”

Zia’s statement has raised questions about whether the Pakistan cricket authorities are aiming for a cover-up. However, Justice Qayyum’s comments to the ST and his threat to publish his report should the Pakistan board produce a different version, will make this a dangerous course of action. In the current environment, the ICC will have to act decisively and suspending Pakistan from international cricket will be its only option.