Pak V Aus: Was Sydney Test Fixed? ICC Investigates!

Well again the Pandora Box of Match-Fixing in Pakistan Cricket has been opened. I feel very sorry to see Pakistani cricketers been accused of match-fixing. This is not new though. We have already talked about Match-Fixing phenomenon right after the Australian tour of Pakistan Cricket team in the previous post.

So what’s new then? Actually a video is being shown on different news channels and on the web in which Pakistani Cricketers are shown expressing their views in front of the Probing Committee of Pakistan Cricket Board, which was formed to investigate the worst ever tour of Pakistan team to Australia. In this video, team management raised their concerns about the possible involvement of some players in Match-Fixing during the Austrlia-New Zealand tour of the Pakistan team.

In the same video, players like Shahid Afridi and Mohammed Yousaf, who captained the side during the tour have criticized Shoaib Malik for his back-biting, negative behavior, indiscipline and politics. Now these are some serious allegations. But I am surprised that such a player has only got a ban of 1 year and a 20 million rupee fine. And players like Mohammed Yousaf and Younis Khan have been banned for indefinite period, although they were not charge with such severe allegations.

I always wonder, why these ‘great’ heroes of Pakistan Cricket, sell their

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

Indefinite Ban on Younis, Yousaf: Pakistan Cricket in Shambles?

I was shocked (just like all of you) when I heard this news. Pakistan Cricket got a bad day. There were media reports about one year ban on Pakistan Cricket players, Shoaib Malik and Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan and fines on Shahid Afridi (the Boom Boom of Pakistan Cricket), Kamran Akmal, and Umer Akmal, but no one was expecting a lifetime ban on players like Younis Khan and Mohammed Yousaf who are the backbone of Pakistan Cricket Team.

In the last post I had discussed about the Pakistan Cricket Board Committee’s Recommendation on Bans, Fines of Pakistan Cricket Players. In that post I had supported the committee’s recommendations for the ban and fine on Pakistan Cricket Players citing the different reasons. However, when I read the news about the lifetime ban on Mohammed Yousaf and Younis Khan, I was totally surprised. Both them are the most senior, experienced and skillful batsmen in the Pakistan Cricket Team.

So, what’s my take on this decision from Pakistan Cricket Board? Well, I totally support the Bans and Fines on Pakistan Cricket Players. I know some of the bans (especially the ones imposed on Mohammed Yousaf & Younis Khan) seem to be a bit harsh, but let me tell you

PCB Committee Recommends Ban, Fines on Pakistan Players: Right Or Wrong?

At last there is some ‘good’ news from PCB: The board’s committee designed to probe the Pakistan’s pathetic tour of Australia earlier this year, has come up with some solid decisions. The committee led by Waseem Bari, has recommended the PCB to do the following actions:

>Ban on Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan & Shoaib Malik for 12 months; 

>Fines of Rs.3 Million each on Shahid Afridi, Umer Akmal, and Kamran Akmal.

Why I call this as good news: Well, I just posted the last story about The Dilemma of Pakistan Cricket! in which I  talked about the underlying reasons behind the pathetic performance of Pakistan Cricket team. Among other problems I pointed out that the lack of accountability is the core problem facing Pakistan Cricket. And today, at least the PCB has taken actions against some of the culprits in the team.

The recommendations of the committee are not surprising at all. I personally feel, and I believe most of the cricket fans feel the same way, that there are groupings in the team; players are not playing for the team; players are rather playing for