**LONDON: British Journalist Ed Hawkins has made yet another claim that the Pakistani cricketers who were earlier believed to be involved in spot fixing are innocent, Geo News reported Monday.
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Ed Hawkins, in his soon to be published book ‘Bookie Gambler Fixer Spy: Journey to the corrupt heart of cricket’s underworld’, has claimed that the three Pakistani cricketers including Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif are innocent and that they were schemed in the spot fixing case.
He said that in India, fixing in not done on no-balls and therefore, Justice Cook’s verdict regarding the involvement of three Pakistani cricketers in spot fixing was unjust.
It is pertinent to mention that the three cricketers have already served their sentence in the UK jails for their involvement in spot fixing.
The journalist had earlier claimed that the semi-final between Pakistan and India of the Cricket World Cup 2011 was fixed.
According to Hawkins, the bookie had a contract with Pakistan which stipulated that the team would lose the match by a margin of over 20 runs.
The bookie had further said that India batting first would make 260 runs and their first three wickets would fall in 15 overs, while Pakistan would make 100 runs and then lose two quick wickets.
Another claim made is that bookies had used Bollywood actresses in the fixing process.
Hawkins a sport betting journalist spent months investigating corruption in cricket. His book will be published on November 15.
Looks like he wanted to sell his book to Pakistani audiences who believe in the conspiracy theories... a big number that would be :D
And it worked! News channels are already running programs over the certainty of them being innocent. Salman Butt has claimed he will contact his lawyers again (big LOL).
I heard Ed Hawkins interview this morning. He is not claiming that they were innocent. Will post details later but basically they are guilty even though no actual betting took place on those no balls.
Was it the one where he was interviewed by Mubashar Luqman? Wanted to slap the both of them. It was so obvious that Luqman unkil was on his side and selling the propaganda to the public. And of course there had to be some Afridi slamming too.
with evening news…
It was so obvious that Luqman unkil was on his side and selling the propaganda to the public. And of course there had to be some Afridi slamming too.