Incredulous Butt Suggests England Cricketers Behind Third ODI Fixing!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

      This was the fear when the ICC proclaimed that it would go ahead with the England Pakistan ODI series despite the seriousness of allegations leveled against the Pakistan cricketers in the dying stages of the fourth Test at Lord’s. Reduced to a farce to raise revenue for the England and Wales Cricket Board (while the Pakistan Cricket Board would have feared further stagnation if the series were deferred or cancelled), the series was going to be largely one where eyes would follow the sport not out of interest but out of suspicion.

    

       Mazhar Majeed, the player agent cum bookie, who rattled to the News of the World undercover reporter, that the ODI series would be fixed as well must think that the betting syndicate is really dealing with an incompetent administration because suspicions were raised before the match, yet the game was allowed to go on. Thereafter, the ICC chose to stay mum even as another British tabloid had a field day, chirping away at their exclusive information of a reported nexus between a Delhi bookie and a Dubai match fixer, releasing a statement virtually half a day later by when it was mere lip service.

         Ijaz Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, who took a backseat to an impulsive Pakistan Commissioner to Britian, Wajid Shamshul Hasan in England, was in New Delhi trying plausibly a surreptitious arrangement with the ICC President, Sharad Pawar when he was informed through the media – even as he maintained that the Pakistan cricketers were innocent and Mazhar was only an agent – of the ICC looking into the third ODI at the Oval where Pakistan won the match by twenty-three after Umar Gul took six wickets in a sensational finish.

       Furious at being left out, and still fuming from the ICC suspension of Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif and Salman over match fixing allegations, Butt has dismissed the charges and then, trained the guns on the England cricketers – who claim to be fed up of the charade they are being put through – claiming that it was they who took money to lose the match (Pakistan would have no merit winning the match on the strength of their talent, is that what Mr. Butt is suggesting?). He claims the information petered out through some bookies, but pray, what had Mr. Butt to do talking to bookies in the midst of a crisis like this?

        He has slammed the allegations as aimed to send Pakistan cricket into further degeneration by maligning members of the team. And the fire rages on, what will the fourth ODI tomorrow bring? Will we ever get to the bottom of the truth with  the atmosphere being what it is?

Chief Executives Committee Supports ICC's Decision against Corruption