England v Pakistan 2010 /
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Spot-fixing controversy
Corridors of uncertainty
Cricket has taken a back seat for Pakistan in England
Nagraj Gollapudi
August 31, 2010
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News : Cloud over players gives Pakistan selection problem
News : Pakistan trio to meet with PCB chairman Report : Pakistan slump to massive defeat amid huge scandal News : Lord's Test at centre of fixing allegations Players/Officials:
Salman Butt
Series/Tournaments:
Pakistan tour of England
Teams:
Pakistan
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Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Fawad Alam and a few other players were getting ready to offer the namaz [prayers] before taking supper. They were in one of the inner corridors of the team hotel in suburban Taunton.
A few yards away a face stared at them from behind the glass doors. Salman Butt, the captain, was there on his own, getting ready to leave for London on Wednesday to appear before the Pakistan High Commissioner and the Metropolitan Police. The contrast couldn't have been starker.
The next few days will be the most difficult in the lives of Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif as the pressure to drop them from the remainder of the England series mounts. Though they were reportedly seen at dinner on Monday evening and then at breakfast on Tuesday morning, they were confined to their rooms.
They did not join the rest of the squad which trained for a few hours at Somerset's ground in the afternoon. Practice occurred behind locked gates to avoid any attention from both the media and fans. The county authorities said the request came from Pakistan. Yawar Saeed, Pakistan's manager, disagreed. "We haven't told them anything," Saeed told Cricinfo. "We are just going to have our regular training session."
It did not matter much because cricket has taken a back seat for Pakistan. Though the rest of the squad milled around, putting on a bold face, the players' eyes were wandering, and they were tense.
In the hotel the corridors were thick with an air of mystery. The security was watertight. The media were allowed in the hotel lobby and the TV camera crews were camped outside till late in the evening, but the hotel authorities had alerted everybody that if they were caught talking to the players they would be asked to leave. Every movement was monitored, like being back at school.
When a fan jumped in front of Yousuf and Shoaib to get a picture as the duo were entering the hotel lobby from the in-house leisure club, the Pakistan security officer got fidgety as the man was posing for longer than desired. The players were told not to entertain such requests.
In the days to come things will become even tighter, even though it is already bordering on suffocation. The freedom of the most talented yet mercurial breed in cricket is being restrained. It remains to be seen if Pakistan can stay resilient and patient before the rebuilding begins.
Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at Cricinfo
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Itll be all right. But finally we saw Fawad Alam play and he proved yet again how much talent hes got. Hope he stays in for good. Good luck team.
Posted by UDOD on (September 03 2010, 04:03 AM GMT)I just want to suggest that if the inquiry is being carried out, the inquiry should be carried out uptill our board members because if our players have really done it, they should have accomplices which may include Pakistan cricket board members and chairman because the amount of controversies, betting scandals and other marred news are Pakistani players get involved in and they way they go scott free, it raises a lot of questions as to the players cannot manage the job alone.The board did not even take any concrete steps when openly players like Wasim, Mushtaq and all were named for betting scandals.A mere 3 lakh rupees fine..... well thats unexplainable too.
Posted by Jsaville on (September 02 2010, 01:37 AM GMT)We're not just talking about 3 cricketers here. We're talking 3 lives, 3 families, and the possibility of 300 no-balls that would have made no difference in test cricket. How uneducated is the ICC (Incompetent Cricket Council)?. Why is it that every time Pakistan tours England, a new episode surfaces ? Is it the fault of the ECB (England's Controversial Board), The Incompetent Cricket Council (ICC)l or the PCB (Patrons Crooked Board) ? No players are wrong or to blame. If the next scheduled tour for Pakistan in England is 2014, the latest controversy then will be that team Pakistan came to the ground with artillery in their kit bags. Take a stand Pakistan, take a stand Apple Polisher Ijaz Butt and save your nation from yet another English fiasco. This is not the first time, this happens on every tour to England. When England can't beat you, they hang you. As they can never play fair.
Posted byGuy,s please every body should wait on what,s going on,this is big game to shake in pakistan side,if any thing is true ,why all vid,s are day after the game,why they don,t have date on before the game,it happend all time,when india,sri lanka,or pakistan come from bottom to top give them hard time,aussie,and english media they all make these kind,s of,thing,s,they know very well ,the guy,s.can,t handle the tense.
Posted by swat1999 on (September 01 2010, 13:58 PM GMT)Oh god give them sense!! How long Pakistan cricket will suffer becose of a few ba guyes.....
Posted by Tansah on (September 01 2010, 13:18 PM GMT)If these accusations are proven correct, then all three should and probably will recieve bans. Aamir only deserves a five year ban if he did spot-fix by balling no-balls on purpose and his first one, I think, was 1 ft over the line and clearly not an accident. He only 18 years old and he must've been influenced by another player into doing this. But he should be banned to scare him and any others players... mainly the younger ones, to not getting involved with stupid greedy bookies. Butt and Asif are replacable but I hope that these are only accusations and are not proven correct. If they are, it won't be good for Pakistan cricket. And t20s & ODIs should go ahead but if the accusations are true, then tell the team that anyone who messes up on purpose will be banned, for good.
Posted bythis is just a propaganda just wait and see
Posted by FawadAhmed on (September 01 2010, 12:31 PM GMT)Nothing has been proved yet and I request all cricket fans please do not conclude this situation until we got solid proofs.
Posted byIts really tough to comment when the investigation is on. Gentlemen please hold your horse to play with the emotions of the cricket fans. This is not only a matter related to few players but the pride of a country and cricket as a whole. Being a Bangladeshi even I can feel the pain of all Pakistanis as it was the only event now a days which could help them keeping aloof from all their miseries at home.
Posted byPakistan is facing one of the difficult situation in cricketing era. The media and the fans should have believe in them and support them until they are proven guilty. I am supporting Pakistan as they are innocent until proven guilty. Media and the fans should co operate with them.