Sohail alleging further bribery (29 Mar 1997)

29 March 1997

Sohail alleging further bribery

By Qamar Ahmed in Karachi

BRIBERY allegations have surfaced in cricket again, with Aamir Sohail, the Pakistan batsman, claiming there had been further instances of players becoming involved with bookmakers to influence matches.

After his words were reported in a Pakistan newspaper, Sohail and his family members said they had received anonymous telephone calls in Lahore warning him his allegations would have dire consequences.

Sohail was serving a 30-day suspension after the disciplinary committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board had found him guilty of picking an argument with Majid Khan, chief executive, during a domestic game at the Gaddafi Stadium recently.

Protesting against his suspension, he said the board had done nothing so far to stamp out more serious things like "throwing" matches.

He said: "Why is it that the authorities are after me and why they have failed to investigate properly the repeated rumours and allegations of betting or match-throwing?"

He claimed Rashid Latif, Pakistan's wicketkeeper, refused to throw the third and final one-day game at Trent Bridge last year to allow England a clean sweep in the one-day series, in accordance with a bet with the bookies.

Sohail said: "A guy told Rashid Latif to get out because a bet had been placed that Pakistan would lose the series 3-0. Rashid said there was no way he would do that.

"Rashid's excited reaction after he had made an unbeaten 51 and won the match was of no avail. After that innings he was dropped from the Pakistan team."

Sohail added: "I was offered #2,000 to run out Saeed Anwar and get out before making 10 runs in the Australasia Cup in Sharjah in 1994.

"In Sri Lanka in 1994 a man also approached me during the Singer Trophy with an offer, but I told him that they were talking to the wrong guy."

Arif Abbasi, a former chief executive of th Board, said that the allegations made by Sohail were not provable.

Majid was reported to be considering disciplinary action against Sohail after his latest outburst.

Bribery allegations were made two years ago against Salim Malik by three Australian players, but he was exonerated for lack of evidence by a Board hearing.

Sohail's present suspension by the board came after a tiff with Majid who, it was alleged, had asked Sohail's family members to vacate the Board hospitality boxes during a limited-overs semi-final of the national championship in which Sohail was playing.

Sohail and Majid entered into an argument, which led to a disciplinary hearing and the ban. His mother claimed that the whole matter had been brought to the notice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Sohail apparently found an ally in Sarfraz Nawaz, the former Test seam bowler, who has appealed to the President of Pakistan, the patron of the Pakistan Board, to investigate his allegations.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)