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Change Your Life! |
Imran worried for cricket |
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News |
April 15, 2000
"The respective boards should not support the accused players like Hansie Cronje was initially supported by South African Board until his confession," he said. Imran's reaction came after South African captain Cronje Tuesday shocked the cricketing world by admitting he was not "entirely fair" with his country's cricket board. Cronje was reported to have told the managing director of United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) that he took between 10'000 and 15,000 dollars for providing information to bookmakers during January's tri-series competition in South Africa. "This new episode reveals that match-fixing is common in all teams; previously they were happy throwing muck on Pakistan and India along,' Imran said. "South African has been considered as on of the most professional sides in the international cricket. If any player from their team falls from their team falls from the grace then there is definitely some thing very seriously wrong," said Imran, 47. Indian police on Friday filed criminal charges against Cronje and three other South African players for fixing matches in the one-day series held in India last month. Imran played alongside Cronje when Pakistan won the 1992 World Cup in Australia. "He comes as on of the most respected cricketers and if he is involved then there is some thing very dangerous going on," Imran said. Cronje was sacked as captain and his contract with the UCBSA suspended. "Shane Warne and Mark Waugh confessed that they passed on information in 1994 but now a question mark hangs an Australian team as to how much were they involved," the cricketer-turned-politician said. "Even talking to a bookie is a crime and all involved must be banned for life." Imran lashed out a Pakistan authorities for holding on to a match-fixing inquiry report conducted by Lahore High Court judge Malik Mohammed Qayyum. "Why they are holding the inquire (report) is hard to understand, It should have been made public so that the truth comes out," he said. Imran appeared before the inquiry commission in 1998 and said match-fixing existed in cricket, but he gave no evidence. Pakistan initiated an inquiry in September 1998 in which some 60 former cricketers, officials and others testified. No action has so far been taken on the report's findings. Judge Qayyum had reportedly said former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, Salim Malik and Mushtaq Ahmed were engaged in match-fixing. Bangla2000 News |
