Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, who ran away from Dubai during an ODI series against South Africa last November, has claimed that there are more players including big names who are still involved in match fixing.
Published: Feb 15, 2011, 12:13 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 15, 2011, 12:13 PM (IST)
Mumbai, February 15, 2011
By CricketCountry Staff
Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, who ran away from Dubai during an ODI series against South Africa last November, has claimed that there are more players including big names who are still involved in match fixing.
Haider told in an interview to a portal Pakpassion, “There are some very big names involved in these illegal activities, but they are getting away with it as thorough investigations are not being carried out. I was surprised by the statement by the ICC Chief Executive saying that the World Cup will be clean. The fact of the matter is that the three recently banned players – Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt – are just the tip of the iceberg.”
“There are bigger names than the three banned players who are still involved in fixing in cricket, not only from Pakistan but from other nations as well,” Haider added.
“The Doha hearing was just the beginning, there is a lot more work to be done to clean up cricket but the relevant authorities need to do more before this goal can be achieved.”
He claimed that the tainted Pakistan trio’s action came into light only because the News of the World gave the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit a tip-off, and there is a lot more needed to be done. “It was simply down to an individual tipping off the News of the World who then passed their files to the ICC. The ACSU were reactive rather than proactive and have limited powers and is a weak organisation.”
In November 2010, Haider added more worries to Pakistan cricket by fleeing to London while their ODI series against South Africa was still on, claiming that an unknown person has been forcing him to get involve in match-fixing, or face dire consequences.
Haider also expressed that ICC needs to look into tournaments such as the Indian Premier League, “I feel that in addition to international cricket cleaning up its act, tournaments such as the ICL and IPL need to be closely watched. Players who have taken part in those tournaments also should have their bank accounts thoroughly investigated.”
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