Pak cricket trio quizzed on secret accounts

Updated at: 1459 PST,  Saturday, September 04, 2010  LONDON: Three Pakistan cricketers have been questioned by detectives over text messages, phone calls and secret bank accounts linked to alleged match-fixing. Mohammad Amir, the teenage bowler seen as one of the game’s most exciting talents, spent almost five hours on Friday being interviewed under caution. He was asked about a message he allegedly sent to Mazhar Majeed – the agent arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers – last Friday, saying “Shall I do it or not?” Hours later, it is claimed, he deliberately bowled a no-ball in the Fourth Test at Lord’s. Captain Salman Butt and bowler Mohammad Asif were also questioned. They were asked about secret accounts in Swiss and British banks, which, according to the News of the World investigation, Mr Majeed said he had set up in their names. Sources said that the role of Butt, interviewed last by the Scotland Yard detectives, was under closest scrutiny. It has been reported that £50,000 cash was found in his room by police but he said the money, some in foreign currency, was to pay a dowry for his sister. Police are investigating whether the notes were those handed over by an undercover reporter. It is believed that Asif has also told investigators that it was Butt who first introduced the players to Mr Majeed, his agent, several years ago. Sir Ronnie Flanagan, head of the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit, said that, having seen the evidence, all the players “have a really arguable case to answer in our disciplinary arena”. Further revelations this weekend are expected to focus on four more Pakistan cricketers, and claims that the team would deliberately lose two coming one-day matches. The scandal is being investigated worldwide by five agencies, including federal authorities in Pakistan and Britain’s Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca). It emerged on Friday evening that Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs started looking into Mr Majeed’s tax affairs months ago and tapped his phone. They were apparently suspicious of phone calls abroad talking about cricket matches, and tipped off officials. The disclosure will lead to questions about how long police and cricket authorities knew about the allegations. As part of the Metropolitan police inquiry into the Lord’s incident, Amir was questioned at Kilburn police station in north London yesterday. The 18 year-old was questioned in the presence of his solicitor over an alleged phone call from Mr Majeed the night before the Lord’s match about bowling no-balls. According to the News of the World, Mr Majeed also said that, before play on the second day, Amir texted him to say: 'Shall I do it or not?’ He then bowled a no-ball in the third ball of the third over, as ordered by Mr Majeed, according to the paper. Asif was questioned next, for two hours. Detectives deliberately left Butt to last. All three players protested their innocence. None was arrested and they were released without charge. Mr Majeed, 35, was arrested and bailed earlier this week pending further inquiries by Scotland Yard. He is said to deny the allegations. Scotland Yard sources said they were still in the “early days” of a “long and complex” inquiry. Wajid Shamsul Hasan, Pakistan’s High Commissioner, has said the players will remain as long as is required “to clear their names”.

Yasir Hameed in meeting Pakistani High Commissioner

INSIGHT: Yasir Hameed claims bent teammates were fixing 'almost every match'

05/09/2010

A PAKISTAN cricketer who sensationally confirmed that there WERE cheats in his Lord's Test team has been summoned to the High Commissioner.

Respected opening batsman Yasir Hameed claimed bent teammates were fixing "almost every match" to our undercover reporter.

READ FULL STORY HERE

In our exclusive video he tells how he turned down up to £150,000 in bribes to throw matches and how he lost his place in the squad and saw his career damaged as a result.

Following our revellatios, it has now been reported Hameed was called for talks with Pakistani High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan and Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ijaz Butt this afternoon.

Pakistani star Yasir Hameed blows lid off cricket corruption

INSIGHT: Yasir Hameed claims bent teammates were fixing 'almost every match'

Player who spurned fixer's bribes exposes teammates

05/09/2010

A PAKISTAN cricketer who played in the rigged Lord's Test has sensationally confirmed that there WERE cheats in his team.

Respected opening batsman Yasir Hameed claims bent teammates were fixing "almost every match".

And he provided a devastating insight into the shady world of betting scams, telling how he:

• REFUSED bribes of up to £150,000 from a corrupt bookmaker to throw matches.
• LOST his own place in the squad and saw his career damaged as a result.
• WATCHED as crooked colleagues splashed out on plush properties and expensive sports cars funded by their illicit activities.
• LEARNED that shameless players pocketed an astonishing £1.8million for rigging a Test match against Australia earlier this year.

Hameed, once rated amongst the world's finest batsmen, said of his scandal-struck colleagues: "They've been caught. Only the ones that get caught are branded crooks.

Pakistan cricket star Yasir Hameed blows lid off cricket match fixing

"They were doing it (fixing) in almost every match. God knows what they were up to. Scotland Yard was after them for ages.

"It makes me angry because I'm playing my best and they are trying to lose."

And, predicting the likely fate of the players exposed by the News of the World, Hameed added darkly: "The guys that have got done have got themselves killed.

"They're gone - forget about them."

British tabloid weekly releases video of Yasir Hameed

Updated at: 0549 PST,  Sunday, September 05, 2010  LONDON: British weekly tabloid newspaper has issued video of Pakistan Test player Yasir Hameed, which exposed many shocking facts in connection with corruption in Pakistan cricket team, Geo News reported. The video footage, apparently recorded secretly on a hidden camera, showed that Yasir Hameed was gossiping with a reporter of newspaper, Mazhar Mehmood, in a friendly atmosphere. Yasir Hameed was shot with camera claiming that most agents of players are bookies in reality. He was further shown claiming that he had been too offered huge amount of money for match-fixing including offer for a Ferrari Car and 1500,000 pounds but he refused proposals every time. “Many players are involved in fixing matches”, said Yasir on camera, adding that those players who did illegal activities are paying for their misdeeds.” “Allah has penalized guilty players. Sydney Test earned corrupt players up to 1.8 million pounds for fixing match”, Yasir claimed.

PCB drops Butt, Asif, Amir from Pak squad

Updated at: 1503 PST,  Thursday, September 02, 2010

TAUNTON: Tainted trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been dropped by the Pakistan Cricket Board from the limited-overs leg of the England tour, according to team manager Yawar Saeed. Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed said that new replacement players will be called in for the series. The players accused of spot-fixing during the Lord's Test missed a practice game against Somerset in Taunton to meet with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and International Cricket Council (ICC) officials and senior diplomats. Captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif have been implicated in the scandal following a sting operation by British tabloid 'News of The World'. Pakistan lost the four-Test series against England 1-3 last week at Lord's where the finale was overshadowed by the 'spot-fixing' scandal. Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, the three Pakistan players who are at the centre of the spot-fixing controversy have been dropped; however, they had not, been suspended. The three players are currently in London, where they are due to meet Pakistan's high commissioner to the UK. The PCB chairman, Ijaz Butt, is expected to be at that meeting. Speaking in Taunton, where the Pakistan team are to play a warm-up match later on Thursday, Saeed said he had taken the decision, and also called for three replacements. "The T20 squad will remain what it is here this morning, i.e. 13 people," Saeed said. "When we play the one-day internationals we will be asking for replacements to make the squad up to 16." The decision comes after several rounds of meetings between Ijaz Butt, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat and officials of the ECB, at which the PCB is believed to have been advised that the players should not take part in the rest of the tour.

Veena Malik to meet ICC investigators

Veena Malik to meet ICC investigators  Updated :   Wednesday  September  1 , 2010  4:14:38 PM

ISLAMABAD: The former girlfriend of Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif has been asked to give evidence to the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit in a match-fixing investigation. Veena Malik's manager Sohail Rashid on Wednesday said the actress has been approached by the ICC. Asif and teammate Mohammad Amir have been implicated in a spot fixing scandal uncovered in a British tabloid newspaper sting. "They have approached Ms. Malik and will be soon meeting with her," Rashid told mediamen. Rashid was not sure when and where the meeting will be held. An ICC spokesman said the game's governing body does not comment on the ongoing investigations of its anti-corruption unit. The actress suspects that an Indian national, who often called and sent text messages to Asif was involving in illegal gambling. "I was surprised why a guy from India is calling so frequently and sending texts to Asif," Malik said. "That was quite suspicious for me ...later on he (Asif) went to Thailand to have meeting with this particular guy." In England on Wednesday, three Pakistan cricketers implicated in match-fixing allegations were sent to London to face an inquiry with Pakistani officials. Test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Asif and Amir left the team hotel in Taunton to head to London. Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed said PCB chairman Ijaz Butt had ordered Thursday's inquiry at the Pakistan High Commission in in London.

Dont ban Pakistan: Taylor

Dont ban Pakistan: Taylor  Updated :   Wednesday  September  1 , 2010  12:24:16 PM

SYDNEY: Former Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor said Wednesday suspending Pakistan from international cricket over alleged match fixing would be "too harsh". Taylor said it would be detrimental to cricket if an entire nation was banned because of the conduct of individuals. "I don't agree with that, I think it's too harsh a penalty for one nation," Taylor said. "If they have one person, two people, three people involved in match-fixing or fixing certain deliveries ... to throw the whole nation? No, I'm not for that." Taylor said banning Pakistan would not serve to lift the stain of match fixing from cricket. "You're always going to ask those questions," he said. "(If) you throw them out, when they come back you're still going to ask those questions. "I think all you can do is penalize the individuals and embark on an education process and hopefully stop people from doing this sort of thing, but I think throwing the nation out of world cricket I don't think is right." Taylor said combatting match fixing was a major challenge, not just in cricket. "(Match-fixing) is probably there in all sports," he said. "You can not monitor people 24/7," he said. "It comes down to education and it comes down at the end of the day saying 'if you get involved in it, the repercussions are going to be damning'." Earlier Wednesday, former New Zealand captain and ICC match referee John Reid joined calls for Pakistan's removal from world cricket.