PAK cricket - is there corruption at every level ?

I know this subject has been discussed on various other threads, the latest one being the Zulqarnain Haider saga.

We've all tended to think that the allegations of cheating, spot-fixing and so on are mainly centred on international cricket - in particular one-day matches.

However, an article and scorecard in todays paper suggests that the cancer of interference by malign forces goes far far deeper, with roots in the domestic first class game.

It refers to a match in the Royal Bank of Scotland Cup in May 2009. Our man Haider was skipper of Lahore Eagles. It's alleged that he was "advised" on issues of selection for the game against the National Bank of Pakistan. The way I read it is that he refused, and lost the captaincy - the match proving to be his last for Lahore. 16 year old Ahmed Dar took the armband, and Lahore scored 122 in 40.3 overs.

It won't be a surprise to learn that Lahore lost, but the manner of losing will shock you, it is an amazing scorecard. Note some of the names mentioned in the article .....

....... which brings me back to a point I made regarding Mohammed Aamer when the spot-fixing scandal broke a couple of months back. If Haider fears for his life to the point of seeking assylum here, and the crooks have thier claws into domestic cricket - it becomes clearer why Aamer maybe felt he'd no choice other than to bowl no-balls when instructed.

Article & scorecard here

It's plain sad, nothing more can be said.

Woah.

I hate to say it but a ban seems to be the only solution.

Matchfixers are qunts.

I hate for you to say it twice, Dori.

doremi wrote:Woah.

I hate to say it but a ban seems to be the only solution.

I take it from your reaction doremi that, like me you weren't completely surprised by this - but rather shocked to read that all the same ?

I can't help wondering whether the criminal masterminds aren't targetting the real grassroots leagues. Is it beyond the realms of possibility that the father of a very promising 15 or 16 year-old gets visited by a couple of heavies warning of "accidents or injuries" if the lad isn't willing to do as he's told ?

If that's the case, then cricket in Pakistan might aswell be temporarily suspended until further notice.

Can't be dealing with that, no way.

Ban Pakistan. End of. And don't allow their domestic matches to be counbted as 'first class' or 'List A'.

Royal Bank of Scotland Cup 2008-09
Butt blitzkrieg powers NBP to semi-finals
Cricinfo staff

March 28, 2009

Text size: A | A
Group D



As if inspired by Chris Gayle's onslaught in the low-scorer against England on Friday, Salman Butt pulled off a batting masterclass of his own for National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Butt shredded a hapless Lahore Eagles bowling attack with an unbeaten 92 off 25 balls, helping his team chase a rather imposing 123 in just 6.1 overs. His opening partner Nasir Jamshed, who made an unbeaten 26 watched the fun at the other end, as Butt slammed 88 of his runs in boundaries. In less than half and hour, the game was over and NBP stormed into the semi-finals. Lahore were pegged back at 34 for 5 after being asked to bat first and it was their debutant Naeem Arshad who top scored with 27. The seamer Uzair-ul-Haq was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 27. The innings was wrapped up in 40.3 overs before Butt saw to it that the entire match didn't even last 50.


Butt's onslaught didn't just place NBP in the semi-finals but it also knocked Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) off the perch. Both teams ended with 16 points each but such was the significance of Butt's knock that his team edged ahead on the net run-rate. Neverteless, it was an easy outing for SNGPL in Gujranwala as they comprehensively beat Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) by five wickets. The match headed in one direction after Asad Ali and Samiullah Khan's early burst which reduced WAPDA to 19 for 4. Three top order batsmen failed to open their account and it was left to Ahmed Said (59) and Naved-ul-Hasan to stage a recovery. Asad finished with 4 for 20 while Samiullah took 3 for 33. SNGPL made steady progress to the target with Umar Akmal leading the way with an attacking 69 off 80 balls with five sixes.

A star-studded Habib Bank Limited (HBL) effected a thumping 204-run win against Karachi Zebras at the Gaddafi Stadium. Imran Farhat led the rout with 130 while supporting acts by Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi pushed the score to 333. All three scored at more than a run-a-ball and Farhat was particularly severe, slamming five sixes and nine fours in his 117-ball knock. Big stands of 117 and 112 for the second and third wickets respectively took the game away from Karachi. Seamer Mohammad Iftikhar took four middle-order wickets but it came a little too late as Habib Bank were already in a commanding position at that stage. Akbar-ur-Rehman chipped in with 3 for 67 but he leaked a pricy 8.37 per over. Karachi's response was a shambles at the start of the chase as Fahad Masood's early burst reduced them to 23 for 5. Iftikhar turned in an all-round performance with an attacking 54 off 26 balls in a hopeless cause as Karachi folded for 129 within 28 overs. Masood finished with 4 for 22.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.


Not saying the game wasnt fixed but the quick win put them into the semis ...and the game was in March ...not May

I actually remember seeing that scorecard when i was browsing the scores on cricinfo and remembered being surprised that Butt played an innings like that.

That bowler must have been dead set lobbing them up for him declaration bowling style.

You'd have to wonder at the validity of a match that has Sui Northern Gas PIpelines as a name of one of the teams.

Corruption is too ingrained in Pakistani society in general. there I said it.

Ijaz Butt is only still in power because one of his old mates is a prominent politician.

Henry wrote:Corruption is too ingrained in Pakistani society in general. there I said it.

Ijaz Butt is only still in power because one of his old mates is a prominent politician.

You've obviously never been to QLD or NSW in the seventies.

The whole thing has a bit of a pong though.

Put aside the reason for Haider and captaincy parting company - its not important in itself ....

... what's odd is that a 16 year old boy gets the armband. Who within the club appoints the skipper ? Why appoint such a greenhorn ? Were there really no players better qualified - virtually all of them must have more experience.

Then the bowling ...... OK an opening bowler may get smashed in his first over or two - but seriously, who'd give anyone a third over who's gone for about 50 in his first two ? The only way that makes sense is if the skipper wants that rate of scoring from the opposition .......

Zat wrote:Ban Pakistan. End of. And don't allow their domestic matches to be counbted as 'first class' or 'List A'.

What Zat says.

embee wrote:Royal Bank of Scotland Cup 2008-09
Butt blitzkrieg powers NBP to semi-finals
Cricinfo staff

March 28, 2009

Text size: A | A
Group D
As if inspired by Chris Gayle's onslaught in the low-scorer against England on Friday, Salman Butt pulled off a batting masterclass of his own for National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Butt shredded a hapless Lahore Eagles bowling attack with an unbeaten 92 off 25 balls, helping his team chase a rather imposing 123 in just 6.1 overs. His opening partner Nasir Jamshed, who made an unbeaten 26 watched the fun at the other end, as Butt slammed 88 of his runs in boundaries. In less than half and hour, the game was over and NBP stormed into the semi-finals. Lahore were pegged back at 34 for 5 after being asked to bat first and it was their debutant Naeem Arshad who top scored with 27. The seamer Uzair-ul-Haq was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 27. The innings was wrapped up in 40.3 overs before Butt saw to it that the entire match didn't even last 50.


Butt's onslaught didn't just place NBP in the semi-finals but it also knocked Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) off the perch. Both teams ended with 16 points each but such was the significance of Butt's knock that his team edged ahead on the net run-rate. .......................

Not saying the game wasnt fixed but the quick win put them into the semis ...and the game was in March ...not May

To me Butt's 92 in 25 balls (his fastest in the international game is 36 from 31 balls according to a Guardian article), or his team's 123 in 6 odd overs, or the way in which they shot through to the semis are not really all that suspiscious when compared to the following:

That the 'key' bowler in that game - Usman Sarwar - had never played a List A game before, never played one afterwards. That they let him bowl 3 overs for 78 runs. No one's heard of him since then

And then the PCB says it investigated the game and found nothing....are you f*cking kidding me?

On this particular controversy, I doubt whether Zulqarnain is doing anything apart from crying wolf this time. Of course Pakistani cricket is in bad shape - but he's speaking of in connection to Pakistani cricket are known. What he claims happened to him recently....well, given his bizarre behaviour, I would say there's an equal chance that he's losing it,.

Growler wrote:

doremi wrote:Woah.

I hate to say it but a ban seems to be the only solution.

I take it from your reaction doremi that, like me you weren't completely surprised by this - but rather shocked to read that all the same ?

I can't help wondering whether the criminal masterminds aren't targetting the real grassroots leagues. Is it beyond the realms of possibility that the father of a very promising 15 or 16 year-old gets visited by a couple of heavies warning of "accidents or injuries" if the lad isn't willing to do as he's told ?

What do you mean by grassroots ?

It makes strong economic sense for those who control Pakistan cricket to side 'heavily' with bookies esp if they can get the bookies to share a significant share of their gross proceeds. Pakistan is starved of dollar denominated forex and PCB is cash-starved. It makes eminent sense for them to be doing what they are doing.

I see the PCB are already leaning towards labelling Haider as a rebel who deserves nothing but a suspension and a cancellation of his contract.

I'm pretty sure they'll dismiss anything negative he has to say. Don't want any tough questions being asked.....

THIS type of situation is where the ICC need to step in. They should go over the heads of the PCB and interview Haider directly. Treat his situation as an ICC anti-corruption issue rather than an in-house Pakistani cricket issue.

Haider may well have some damning information that needs to find the proper channels, because you can be sure that if it's only the PCB that hear what he has to say, it will be lost forever.

It's all very sad. Pakistan cricket needs to have a complete overhaul. But in a country where corruption is rife and wages so low its hard to see how they're going to clean up the game completely.

123 in 6 overs- it's a Brian Lara International Cricket score.

I've observed from afar as PP has been worn down by events and unsympathetic forummers. I have to say my sympathy is in short supply- the Pakistan cricketing constituency are like alcholics who can't admit they have a problem. They lash out, they don't take responsibility and the allegations and incidents seem to be endless. Cricketer seeks asylum after receiving death threats bookies should be a big story but it's all got a bit boy crying wolf now. Just can't believe anything a Pakistan cricketer says.

Perhaps we expect too much from a third-world country in total social, economic and political disarray.

Would be a bit weird if their cricket was all right-on and above board.

Being a third-world country in total social, economic and political disarray hasn't effected English cricket too badly....



....is this thing on?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/nov/12/pakistan-corruption-betting-world-cup

"The Nation reported the former Pakistan opening batsman Aftab Gul, now a lawyer, as saying: "The International Cricket Council and [the] Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Ijaz Butt, have entered into a verbal agreement that these players will not represent the Pakistan team at least till the World Cup. I have this information from the people involved with the game and I am sure that these players will not play even the World Cup."