Pakistan cricket team This article is more than 13 years old

Leaked video reveals Pakistan management's fears of match-fixing

This article is more than 13 years old Management incredulous over wicketkeeper's mistakes
Players and officials questioned by parliamentary committee

A video has been leaked showing the management of the Pakistan cricket team raising suspicions about match-fixing within the side. The leak has resulted in officials, coaches and players being summoned to appear in front of a parliamentary committee.

The suspicions arose from Pakistan's woeful tour of Australia early this year when they lost three Test matches, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international.

In the leaked video coaches raised doubts about their wicketkeeper, Kamran Akmal, who dropped four catches and missed an easy run-out during the second Test in Sydney.

The team's coach, Intikhab Alam, said he was "flabbergasted" when Kamran missed the run-out of Shane Watson. Aqib Javed, who was part of Pakistan's 1992 World Cup winning squad, also had worries about the wicketkeeper's poor performance.

"When I saw it I couldn't believe it. How he could miss such a big run-out?" he told a committee of inquiry set up by the Pakistan board (PCB). "I can't say 100% that there is match-fixing, but I have my strong suspicions," he said. "I know all about it because I was a victim of it. In 1998, I presented evidence against players but the judge who was hearing the inquiry ended the matter."

However, the Australian Test vice-captain Michael Clarke said he had no suspicions about the Sydney match. "Looking back it was a wonderful Test match and a huge win for us, but I certainly had no suspicions," Clarke is quoted as saying.

The PCB committee of inquiry has already given heavy fines and suspensions to several players for ill-discipline and poor performance on the tour. Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan and Rana Naved have all filed appeals.

Pakistan cricket has been troubled by match-fixing and in 1999 an inquiry headed by Justice Mohammad Qayyum handed life bans to the former Test captain Salim Malik and fast bowler Ata-ur-Rehman, and also fined several players.

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