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Match Fixing (Part II of II)

© Ahmad Nawaz

I.S.Bindra (Ex-president of Indian Cricket Board) and Manoj Parbahkar accused Kapil Dev of match fixing. Although, Kapil performed a great drama when he started weeping in BBC's program Hard Talk and said that all the allegations are false. He also gave some sentimental statements. Parbahkar said that during 1994, Kapil Dev offered him money to lose a One-Day match that was against Pakistan and was to be played in Sri Lanka. In the statement which he gave to Central Bureau of Investigation, he said that I know that, Kapil also knows that and God knows that Kapil offered money. Before this, I.S.Bindra told CNN that Kapil offered money to Parbahkar.

Pakistan Cricket Board inspite of having strong proofs gave different punishments to different players. The players in the playing 11 or 16 were only charged money while a lifetime cricket ban was imposed on Saleem Malik alongwith a million rupees. Ata-ur-Rehman, a fast bowler who inspite of having many chances failed to impress any one was charged with 100,000 rupees and a lifetime cricket ban. Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar, Inzimam-ul-Haq and Akram Raza were fined 100,000 rupees. Pakistan's most premier fast bowler Wasim Akram and leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmad had to pay 300,000 rupees.

Anyhow, Pakistani Cricket Board set a good example by conducting the punishments recommended by the Judicial Commission. It has eased the way for ICC to impose punishments on the suspected players of the other countries. Meanwhile, a document has been presented to King's Commission that South African Cricket Board president Ali Bacher was involved in match fixing during a visit to the West Indies in 1980's.

This match fixing stuff is going on secretly and quietly for quite some time now. People have emotional attachment to the game of cricket. They keep an eye on what's happening in the world of cricket. The players have become national heroes because of the projection they get on the media and the nation rightly demands them to play not only cricket but also play for the pride of their country.

Cricket is a game of uncertainties and it does not take long before changing the direction of match. We have seen quite often that sometimes two quick wickets or two or three good overs for batting team can changed the whole result of the game. However, one has to win and other team has to lose.

Match fixing is possible only after the consent of the captain and team management. In recent years betting is quite common in the streets. The bookmakers have a very strong network in all the countries. In the hunger of earning more and more money the bookmakers have developed relationship with key-players of different countries and the bookmakers give them money to get the result of their own choice.

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