 The dust of match fixing controversy doesn't seem to settle down at all. Pakistan
cricket has fallen into another pit of darkness with former chairman of PCB
Tauqeer Zia making some astonishing discoveries. Tauqeer Zia told a local TV
channel that six of the Pakistani players were under ICC scanner after the disastrous
tour of Australia where the team didn't win a single match. Zia also said that
ICC had informed PCB in writing that at least six Pakistani players were suspected
of match fixing in the Test.
Zia explained on a TV show on Sunday that ICC had intercepted some text messages
of the players linking them to book makers. General (Rt.) Tauqeer Zia
said that ICC had warned PCB and had given them the names of the six players
when they set out to play Asia Cup and ICC World T20.
Tauqeer Zia said that he is not sure if PCB had taken any action on the information
or even reported back to ICC. He told he is ready to discuss anything if approached.
Since Tauqeer Zia is not a part of PCB anymore, the credibility of this disclosure
remains doubtful with one simple question, how did Zia find all this out? ,
he is not in PCB or ICC. And why haven't ICC said anything on the issue yet?
There is one other astounding revelation by Zia to which we can link him.
He said during his tenure he was approached and pressurized by book makers to
include a player in a squad in 2002. Zia said he didn't give a huge amount of
importance to the issue as the player was already taken care of earlier. Zia
didn't disclose the name of the player, however a journalist said it could be
former Pakistan captain Salim Malik who was banned for life for match
fixing by Justice Qayyum. The ban was later lifted in 2008.
When asked about his action on the approach of book makers, Zia said he had
done everything, informed his entire staff and also the Patron of Pakistan Cricket,
the president then Pervez Musharraf.
This shocking news came as an aftermath of match fixing, which has clouded
the game of cricket. Three Pakistani players Muhammad Asif, Muhammad
Aamir and Salman Butt were accused for spot fixing at Lord's Test match
in August. ICC has suspended them temporarily with their appeals to be heard
on 31st October in Dubai.
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