KARACHI: Just a couple of days after ‘spot-fixing’ allegations were levelled at him and two other Pakistan players, a teary-eyed Mohammad Amir went to the team management and spilled the beans on Salman Butt — Pakistan’s Test captain.
Sources told ‘The News’ on Saturday that the 18-year-old fast bowler told team manager Yawar Saeed and Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s one-day captain, that he was innocent and just got involved in the scandal because of Salman Butt.
According to the sources, some of Pakistan’s senior players saw Amir meeting with Afridi. The allrounder later took the youngster to Yawar Saeed and three discussed the issue for some time at the team hotel.
“Amir told the team management that he wasn’t aware of the gravity of the situation and also claimed that he just followed Butt’s instructions,” said a well-placed source.
Butt, Amir and another Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif were provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) early this month after a British newspaper accused them of accepting bribes from match-fixers.
News Of The World alleged that Asif and Amir bowled deliberate no-balls during the fourth Test against England at Lord’s on the orders of match-fixers. British Police briefly arrested player agent Mazhar Majeed, the man at the centre of the scandal.
The trio were questioned by Scotland Yard detectives, who also interview rookie pacer Wahab Riaz later. The players insist they are innocent.
Sources said that Amir told Afridi and Yawar that he didn’t even know Mazhar Majeed and was introduced to him by Salman Butt.
“Amir told Afridi as well as the team manager that he was completely unaware of what was going on. He asked them to help him get out of the mess,” said the source.
Amir, regarded among world’s best fast bowlers, has received a lot of sympathy from various quarters since the scandal broke almost a month ago.
Several former Test cricketers from around the world have urged the ICC to show leniency to the teenager, who is young and uneducated.
Former greats like England’s Michael Atherton, West Indies’ fast bowler Michael Holding, Australia’s Geoff Lawson, Pakistan’s Ramiz Raja and many others have urged the authorities to somehow save Amir’s international career.
“Whilst I accept, if guilty, there can be no way back for Salman Butt, the captain, or Mohammad Asif, a cricketer who has enjoyed more lives than a cat, I hope the authorities can find a way to give Amir a second chance. He is a victim in this episode,” wrote Atherton, in one of his articles earlier this month.
Wow…Who is this person “Sources”. Must be very resourceful:hoonh:. May be ICC’s ASCU and Scotland Yard should employ Mr/Ms. Sources. This person can help them in providing the the eagerly awaiting evidence against the trio.
This is actually the best case scenario for Pakistan. Salman butt takes the fall and the blame. The bowlers get away by claiming that they were merely following captain's orders.
simply put, aamir needs to be protected....and we will find a way to do so!...the probability to find a left arm fast bowler of his quality is 1 in 25 years....who cares about the moral ground!....PCB has already made its mind...salman butt ko ban karo...he is a useless player anyway...a thrird class cricketer....so he should be the qurbani ka bakra....asif ko 2 saal ka ban do and save aamir....rehay naam allah ka....
Did aamir discuss his dilemma with the coach or the manager or anyone else or just followed captain's order to gain some ££££. I don't buy it. he should be banned along with Salman and Asif. yes we would lose a brilliant bowler but we need to clean our act.
Could not agree more with this, but you have to take things from a practical perspective. Poor Aamir is just 18(couple of years more I agree).
He is at a very impressionable age. Salman could have threatened him that if he does not follow his orders, he (Aamir) would never get a chance to play for Pakistan again.
Though I am an Indian, I loved to watch Aamir bowl apart from S Akthar in his heyday. Dont deny him his due for a mistake that he as done without understanding the repercussions.
What about Asif? Should he be given another chance?
Judging from his past we know that he repeats the mistake, just one more time ... thats it.
He will "fix spot" just one more time, as we did with the drugs. After that he will not UNLESS
1. He forgets he already done so twice
2. Offfer is really really tempting
Remember, this time these bans will come from ICC and not PCB. I feel that ICC would offer to Amir that they would be willing to be lenient on him, provided he spills the beans on any of his team mates or anyone one else in the management/board involved in this.
All 3 need to go. There are no ifs and Butts about it.
We have a soft corner for Amir because he is just too talented. What if he wasn't? Would your verdict change? We don't care much if Butt has to go, why?
The reality is that he will get away with it on 'lack of evidence' but the trust of the fans can never be restored. Let's do the right thing and stick to the 'exemplary' punishment to save us future embarrassments.
Pakistan will never change if we don't change. Not that our vote counts but don't let your conscience die.
