NEW DELHI: Is the shadow of match-fixing and betting never going to leave cricket and especially Pakistan? Just when the world, and even its bitterest foe India, were willing to concede that Pakistan had played brilliant cricket to set up a dream final, comes the news that doubts are being raised on their progress in the tournament.
In a very vague and even confusing statement, Pakistan’s former captain Aamer Sohail has created a stir, especially in India, where TV channels gave a sinister twist to his words that “we know they have been brought to this position.”
Sohail, who has from time to time, like many other former Pakistani players, been making allegations against his team of being on the pay roles of bookies, told a TV channel: “We will congratulate you when you play well, but we’ll also criticise you when you don’t. They should not be flying too high on their success at the moment because we know that they’ve been ‘brought’ to this position.”
Brought to this position? Does he mean fixing has taken place or does he mean people involved with running the game have created conditions for them to progress to the final? We all know that Pakistan were among the least favourite teams to progress this far. We also know that given the eyeballs an India-Pakistan final will generate, this Champions Trophy match-up is a dream come true for the broadcasters. It is bound to rake in unprecedented amounts of cash through advertising as millions in the two countries will be glued to their TV sets when the match plays out on Sunday.
For a cricketer of his stature, Sohail has done far more damage to his own team and country by making such an outrageous statement in public on the eve of such a crucial match. The Pakistan team has been wrecked by match-fixing allegations in the past, with one of the key bowlers in the present team, Mohammad Aamir, having even served a five-year sentence for betting on his own bowling.
In India, ever since the IPL made its larger than life presence felt on the international calendar, fixing and betting charges have been flying thick and fast. It was a betting allegation against Gurunath Meiyappan, son-in-law of Chennai Super Kings owner N Srinivasan, that finally led to the formation of the Lodha Commission and its far-reaching recommendations to reform cricket administration.
In this backdrop of suspicion and doubt, Sohail’s utterances can be seen as reckless because it must be emphasised here that a team can fix to lose a match, but it is rather impossible to fix a win. Pakistan, after their loss to India, have won all matches. There seems to be little substance in what Sohail has said, unless he is hinting that Pakistan fixed its rivals? Whatever he may have meant or not meant, Sohail, without presenting any proof, has done a great disservice to his team, which played some outstanding cricket to beat England in the semifinals.
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