Legendary spinner Abdul Qadir claims Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed were among those responsible for match-fixing scandal that hit Pakistan cricket in late-90s
Abdul Qadir
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The menacing clouds of spot-fixing are again threatening Pakistan cricket and there is currently a lot of talk around who is responsible for the mess and how to fix it.
Well, legendary Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir also has some suggestions. But his advice is likely to stun cricket lovers. He has claimed that Pakistan legends Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed were among those who were involved in match-fixing when the scandal first hit Pakistan cricket in the mid-90s.
The leggie suggested that had the trio been 'hanged' at that time then the menace of spot-fixing would not have existed in the country currently.
"Had you hanged Wasim Akram, Inzamam, Mushtaq Ahmed - there's an entire list - instead of giving them a slap on the wrist, what's happening now would've never happened," a report in The Express Tribune quoted him as saying.
He claimed that Ataur Rehman and Salim Malik were made the scapegoats, adding "And even they would've escaped if they carried cricketing value or were in their prime. The way of our country is to nab the smaller culprit and let the bigger one go."
"All of Wasim, Waqar, Inzamam and Mushtaq either currently work or have previously worked within the PCB. Why weren’t the recommendations of Justice Qayyum’s report enforced?" he inquired.
Captain of Pakistani cricket team Waqar Younis (R), Wasim Akram (L) and Inzaman Ul Haq (C) pose for a picture after winning the Three Nation Champion tournament against Sri Lanka in Sharjah on November 4, 2001. Pic/AFP
The PCB had last Friday provisionally suspended opening batsman Shahzaib Hasan from playing all forms of cricket, making him the fifth player to be handed the penalty for alleged corruption in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 tournament. The PCB's ACU unit has already issued notices of charge to four cricketers -- batsmen Nasir Jamshed, Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif and paceman Mohammad Irfan -- in the PSL spot-fixing inquiry. A three-member tribunal, headed by a former judge, has already been formed to hold hearings in the spot-fixing scandal.