Published: Jun 05, 2013, 07:42 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 05, 2013, 07:42 PM (IST)
Mushtaq Mohammad (above) was the youngest centurion till Mohammad Ashraful broke the record in 2001 © AFP
Mumbai: Jun 5, 2013
Former Pakistan cricketer Mushtaq Mohammad, whose record of being the youngest Test cricketer to score a Test century was broken by Bangladesh player Mohammad Ashraful in 2001, is saddened by the latter’s suspension in relation to match-fixing.
“I am very sorry to hear this news. I fail to understand why players have become so greedy. They are earning handsome money from the game and are still tempted to fix matches. He has brought a bad name to the game of cricket,” Mushtaq told MiD DAY from England.
“I always considered him to be a good boy and was happy about the record. It was not in my hands to retain the record forever. I had it for 40 years and it was meant to be broken one day.”
Replying to Anil Kumble’s suggestion of removing the records of tainted players, Mushtaq told, “It would not make much of a difference (to me) if Ashraful’s records are deleted, but the player has brought shame to his name and it is most regretful.”
Earlier, the former Bangladesh captain was suspended for corruption, adding another sordid chapter to the spot-fixing saga which has already engulfed Indian cricket.
More than a fortnight after the spot-fixing scandal broke out in the Indian Premier League, Ashraful’s suspension is the latest case of corruption in cricket which has seen a number of cricketers being arrested in recent times.
“As Ashraful has confessed his involvement in fixing to the ACSU team, so he should not be allowed to play any level of cricket until we get a full report of the investigation,” Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan told reporters.
“I have spoken with Ashraful, he told me that he has confessed everything to the ASCU,” Hassan said, adding that the batsman had not disclosed details of his confession to him.
“This is not punishment, this is a temporary measure until we get the full report. We have to take exemplary punishment for such acts, otherwise cricket in Bangladesh will be doomed,” he said.
Ashraful admitted to his involvement and apologised for his conduct.
