It all started when Pakistan Cricket Team was on the tour of England for the 2010 season. Pakistan had already lost the first two matches from England and won the third test. The last match was underway and Pakistan were already on the verge of losing another match and thus, the test series from England. Suddenly, out of nowhere on 28th Aug 2010, the News of the World alleged the Pakistani players Muhammad Amir, Muhammad Asif and Salman Butt, of spot-fixing in the same match and as they say, "the rest is history".
Each one of you has the verdict of the ICC tribunal with you now. Personally, I think that ICC is right about that decision of 10, 7 and 5 years ineligibility of Butt, Asif and Amir to play cricket but you might think on what basis?? Well, let me tell you my reasons for my opinion aren't rational enough. I think it's the right decision just because of the doubt in my mind from the very first day that these guys have committed this crime, not because I think the evidence was good enough neither do I think the video of Mazhar Majeed, the bookie and Pakistani players' agent, claiming that he has talked to the players to bowl those no-balls and the fact, the three of them eventually bowling those no-balls. Why all this confusion about the verdict?? All of this because the court case was never opened by the ICC for the media. There is no evidence being provided to the whole world to see and confirm their suspicion on these individuals.
If we take into account, the history of everything bad that has ever happened to Pakistan Cricket in the past two decades. It has a lot to do with the tours of England. Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were called "cheaters", when they bowled those banana swingers to the English Batsmen and later they had to be taught the art and science of the reverse swing to assure the Cricket World that they never cheated. The same thing happened when in 2004, when Inzamam as the Captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team walked out of the match because umpire Darell Hair called them "Cheaters" when Umar Gul started swinging the ball. Daryl Hare was later banned for a whole year and is seldom seen as an Umpire. The match was at the end forfeited and to this day, remains the only forfeited match in the history of Cricket. And the latest tour of England resulted in the revelation of spot-fixing.
Keeping all these incidents in mind, we have more suspicion on ICC than our own players. But the only thing that convinced me that Pakistani Cricketers were involved in spot-fixing was the video which showed Muhammad Amir's action from back view. If you're an ardent follower of Cricket and if you have seen Amir bowl before, the action with which he bowled that delivery was quite different from his normal action. The stride that he took was so huge that one could tell it from behind that he has bowled a no-ball. The picture that showed him stepping across the line also tells you a lot. Below is a video footage that shows the whole story in a nutshell.
As a cricket fan, I want ICC to disclose all evidences to the media and let everyone decide for themselves whether these cricketers are criminals or not, so that the ICC administration is not called a "racist" one. Finally, as a Pakistani, I don't care whether the punishments have been extremely strict because I think PCB itself should have investigated the matter and should put a life ban on any such player who has even bowled a no-ball to earn money illegally. These players represent Pakistan on an international level and anyone who represents Pakistan at that level should be held accountable. This does not only include the cricketers but politicians, actors or any Pakistani for that matter.
- Saad Tariq
As a cricket fan, I want ICC to disclose all evidences to the media and let everyone decide for themselves whether these cricketers are criminals or not, so that the ICC administration is not called a "racist" one. Finally, as a Pakistani, I don't care whether the punishments have been extremely strict because I think PCB itself should have investigated the matter and should put a life ban on any such player who has even bowled a no-ball to earn money illegally. These players represent Pakistan on an international level and anyone who represents Pakistan at that level should be held accountable. This does not only include the cricketers but politicians, actors or any Pakistani for that matter.
- Saad Tariq
