LAHORE: There is nothing new about the latest match fixing accusations as in the past Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik used to fix matches in domestic tournaments as well.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had conducted investigation about these players in the past for match-fixing in domestic tournaments. Former Pakistan captain and all rounder Shoaib Malik was involved in match fixing in the first National Twenty20 tournament when his team was in position of winning the match easily but he deliberately lost the match and later in the prize distribution ceremony he openly admitted that he lost the match intentionally.
In 2008-2009 domestic one day tournament Salman Butt was representing National Bank team where he fixed the match against Lahore along with his team-mate Kamran Akmal and coaches of both the teams. Zulqarnain Haider was the captain of Lahore at that time but he had refused to fix the match. National Bank needed not only to win the match but win it with better run rate to qualify for the semi final. After refusal of Zulqarnain Haider, team management of Lahore dropped Zulqarnain from the squad claiming that he was injured and included club cricketer Ahmed Dar as captain of Lahore in his absence.
National Bank won the match convincingly where they chased 120 runs in just 7 overs. PCB formed the inquiry committee which included Saleem Altaf and Shafqat Rana to probe into the match. But the inquiry committee cleared the match after investigating for only few hours. However PCB never made public the report of inquiry committee. It is pertinent to mention here that Shafqat Rana is currently with Pakistan cricket team in England as Assistant Manager.
Fast Bowler Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Aamer, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt all played for the National Bank and sources said that Wahab Riaz is the main person who acts as a middle man for bookies and deliver their messages to Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal in domestic matches as well as in tour of England.
After Younus Khan, Zulqarnain Haider is another player who is suffering for his principal stand as after his impressive debut in the second Npower Test against England in Edgbaston, he was forced to leave the team by test captain Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal where they also had the support of a member of team management. Zulqarnain is also yet to receive his test cap from the team management whereas Umar Amin, Azhar Ali and Wahab Riaz who made their test debuts during the tour were handed over the test cap before the start of the match.
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I firmly believe these players do not need to prove their innocence. Its people like you who need to prove their guilt. Got anything other than conjecture?!!