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Pakistani Cricketers Summoned to London

   Kate Woodsome | Washington, D.C. 31 August 2010
   Pakistan's   Cricket   team   captain   Salman   Butt,  who  is  under
   investigation over claims of match-fixing, in London

Photo: AP

   Pakistan's   cricket   team   captain   Salman   Butt,  who  is  under
   investigation over claims of match-fixing, in London, 25 Aug 2010

   Three  Pakistan  cricket players under investigation for fixing a game
   have  been  summoned to London to meet senior Pakistani officials. And
   now  as  Pakistan  reels  over the scandal swirling around its beloved
   team, attention is turning to India's role in illegal betting.
   The  implicated players have been practicing in southwest England amid
   a  fury  of  controversy  over  the  betting  scandal.  But the team's
   manager,  Yawar  Saeed,  says  captain  Salman  Butt  and star bowlers
   Mohammad  Amir  and  Mohammad  Asif  will take a break Wednesday to be
   questioned by cricket officials and Pakistan's ambassador to Britain.
   The  chair  of  Pakistan's  Cricket board, Ijaz Butt, earlier told the
   Website  cricinfo.com  that no action would be taken against the seven
   players without proof of wrongdoing.
   The  British  newspaper News of the World says it paid a cricket agent
   nearly  $230,000  to  know  when the bowlers would make illegal throws
   during  a  game  against  England.  On a video tape of that undercover
   sting,  the  agent  said he worked for an "Indian party" that pays him
   for  information.  Scotland  Yard  investigators  are looking into the
   identity of that person.
   India's role in illegal betting came further into focus Tuesday as two
   Australian  Cricket  stars  said  an Indian illegal bookmaker targeted
   them  during last year's tour of England. Cricketer Brad Haddin told a
   news conference in Sydney the man approached him at his hotel.
   "I  got  a  knock  on  my door from someone asking if I wanted to come
   across  to their room to have a drink and have something to eat, which
   I  thought  was  a  bit odd," Haddin said. "So I shut the door and got
   back onto Skype with my wife and sort of said 'that was odd, I'll call
   you back'"
   Fellow  cricketer  Shane  Watson  told  reporters  he  had  a  similar
   experience and immediately informed team managers.
   "And  I  actually didn't think too much more of it until I found out a
   bit  more  information  that  he  was  actually  one  of  the  illegal
   bookmakers that was trying to sort of get involved," said Watson.
   Observers  say  the  credibility  of  Indian and Pakistani cricket was
   tarnished  in  a  major  match-fixing  scandal  that  New Delhi police
   uncovered in 2000. Andrew Miller, the UK editor of ESPN's cricinfo.com
   Web  site,  said  that case was badly handled and essentially signaled
   that illicit gambling is tolerated.
   "The  teams  involved  more  or  less  got away with it," said Miller.
   "There  were  three  captains of international sides [who] were banned
   for  life,  and  one bowler. But generally speaking, large portions of
   the people who were implicated largely got away with it."
   Miller   said   Pakistani  players  are  particularly  susceptible  to
   corruption because of the pressures of poverty and family.
   "When  you  consider that they have a finite period in which to really
   maximize  on  their athletic potential, from 18 to 33, that's 15 years
   out  of  70-80,"  said  Miller. "Also, the nature of Pakistan society,
   families  are  very  close  knit.  If  you've  got  one  guy  that's a
   superstar,  that  money that he earns is going to be spread across his
   family  in a way that you wouldn't possibly get in a Western society,"
   he added.
   At  the center of the latest scandal is 18-year-old Mohammad Asif, one
   of  the  sport's  biggest  stars.  For  him,  cricket was a way out of
   poverty.  He could be banned for life if found guilty of intentionally
   throwing  a  "no-ball"  in  exchange  for  money.  British police have
   questioned  Asif,  fellow  bowler  Mohammad  Amir, wicketkeeper Kamran
   Akmal and team captain Salman Butt.
   The  International  Cricket  Council has promised "prompt and decisive
   action"  if  the  allegations  prove to be true. One lawyer in eastern
   Pakistan  is  already taking action. He filed a petition to the Lahore
   High Court, accusing the Cricket players of treason.

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