Match-Fixing: Which Pakistan Cricket Players Are Involved & Why?

This has not happened for the first time with Pakistan Cricket supporters. Yes I am talking about Match-Fixing in Pakistan Cricket. When everyone in Pakistan, support the Pakistan Cricket Team, they pray for their national Cricket team’s success, they talk about Pakistan Cricket Team and Pakistan Cricket players with great passion, love and respect. Why these ‘great’ heroes of Pakistan Cricket, sell their national pride for a small sum of money. The Match-Fixing is a monster which has swallowed the pride of Pakistan Cricket; it has brought shame, disrespect and humiliation to the Pakistan Cricket and disappointment for the Die-hard lovers of Pakistan Cricket.

Why am I writing about Match-Fixing today? Because I just read news about a Senate’s Committee of Sports, who has held a meeting with top brass of Pakistan Cricket Board, including Mr. Ejaz Butt, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. After the session, the senators told the media that “We have witnessed some solid evidence suggesting that more than one player of the current Pakistan Cricket team was involved in match-fixing”. The senators also said that the “evidences were circumstantial but convincing”.

In one of my earlier posts, I had strongly supported the bans, fines on Pakistan Cricket (you can read this post to know the reasons why I supported the decision).  But at that time, it was not clear that one of the reasons behind these penalties were Match-Fixing. I can’t understand why the hell in this world only Pakistan Cricket players are accused of Match-Fixing. Why Pakistan Cricket heroes sell their identity, their pride, the love of their fans for earning a few dollars? Are they morally dead?

It has been confirmed that Ex-captains of Pakistan Cricket team, Younis Khan, Mohammed Yousaf, and Shahid Afridi were not involved in Match-Fixing. And I firmly believe (somehow) that none of these players can be involved in such a criminal activity as Match-Fixing. However, the reports suggest that the players of Pakistan Cricket Team who are involved in Match Fixing

include: Shoaib Malik, Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan, and Kamran Akmal.

To me all of these Pakistan Cricket Players can be involved in Match-Fixing. Shaoib Malik has always been controversial, ever since he plotted a pre-planned defeat in the First National Twenty20 championship in Pakistan, when he was leading Sialkot Stallions team, saying that he wanted to take revenge from another team by not allowing that team to qualify for the Semi-finals.

As for Kamran Akmal, I don’t know why he was playing consistently for Pakistan Cricket team. Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan Cricket selectors have relied so heavily on Kamran Akmal that they didn’t even bother to keep a backup for him. I admire Kamran Akmal’s batting skills, but his wicket keeping has been pathetic. And the way he kept the wicket in Sydney Test in Australia, it generated lots of controversies.

About Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan, well I was a little surprised to see his name in the Match-Fixer. However, the way he reacted after the ban, I think he was guilty of match-fixing. He immediately signed a contract with Australian Cricket league, saying that “Since I cannot play for Pakistan Cricket team, I will be playing for international leagues”.  

However, the funniest thing is that the three players of Pakistan Cricket team who are reportedly involved in the Match-Fixing, have only received a ban for 1 year (Shoaib Malik & Rana Naveed ul Hassan) and Rs.3 Million (Kamran Akmal). Whereas Younis Khan and Mohammed Yousaf were handed Indefinite Ban although they are not involved in match-fixing. Why is that so? Only Pakistan Cricket Board can tell!

And finally, I would like to express my concerns over Wasim Akram, the legendary Pakistan Cricket player. After bans on Pakistan Cricket players by the Pakistan Cricket Board, Wasim Akram said “The Pakistan Cricket Board is depriving the Pakistan Cricket players of their livelihood.”

Wait a minute. I don’t know what does Wasim Akram mean by this? These Pakistan Cricketers are in the national cricket team to earn their livelihood ONLY? Are they here for the Primary reason to earn Money? Don’t they have any other responsibility or duty to their nation, their team and their country? 

I regret to say that this is the mindset which is causing Match-Fixing in Pakistan Cricket Team. Pakistan Cricket players come to the team To Earn Money Only. And with this mind-set, how can you expect that Pakistan Cricket players will play with sincerity, patriotism, devotion and enthusiasm. And by the way, Wasim Akram forgot that Pakistan Cricket Board has not banned these Pakistan cricketers from playing league cricket, nationally or internationally. So, if they want to earn their livelihood, they can play league cricket, but I am sorry, Pakistan Cricket team is not the place to earn money only. It’s a place where you have to represent your country, where you have to play for your country, with a lot of responsibility. These Pakistani Cricketers can play all the International leagues including the Indian Premiere League (IPL), to earn money.

Well these are my views and analysis of the matter. I know it’s not necessary that you agree to all these views. What do you think? Are these Pakistani cricketers involved in Match-Fixing or not? Should they get a life-ban? Which of the Pakistani Cricket Players do you think are involved in Match-Fixing? Share your views in your Comments.