The world of cricket was jolted yesterday as two of the three players involved in the spot-fixing controversy were proclaimed guilty by the jury at Southwark Crown Court. Former Pakistan skipper, Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif, were found guilty of conspiring to cheat and conspiring to accept corrupt payments. Mohammad Amir who already pleaded guilty awaits sentencing along with his two guilty team mates.
I was first glad when I heard the news that Butt and Asif had been found guilty. It was a terrible thing they did and I was glad that the law had caught up to them. I was overjoyed that these bastards (I apologize for the language, but I really can't seem to find a better word to describe the players) had not gotten away and that they are being brought down. The guilty were being brought to justice. Now why shouldn't anyone be happy about that?
However all the joy of the verdict was soon forgotten as I was inevitably reminded by their devious actions. It was shameful, and the worst thing any sports person can do. They not only brought disrepute to the game, their team and country, and their families and themselves but also betrayed the confidence and trust of the millions who follow the game. A crime that I feel is very serious indeed. The entire incident reminds me of Judas selling out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Only difference is that now the cost of betraying has gone up to £150,000.
I feel that these three players including Amir should be handed the harshest sentence possible and made an example so that all who even had the slightest idea of doing a vile thing as match-fixing stop and think twice.
Salman Butt must be going through a particularly difficult time considering that his wife just underwent a Cesarean section giving birth to his second child just a hour before the verdict was delivered. I do not know if he felt any remorse sitting there in his velvet blazer wearing his Rolex watch when the jury read out their judgement, but I do hope he feels something. I however do not pity him one bit and still think that he committed the vilest of acts possible in sports and if it was upto me, I would lock all three in a cell and perhaps even toss the keys into Thames.
Pakistan cricket has already had more than enough wake up calls and now it is in the limelight all over again for the wrong reasons. The Pakistan Cricket Board may have a new head, but still its ugly underbelly exists and this now is out in the open for all to see. The name of Pakistan cricket is tarnished to an extent of almost beyond any repairs and I don't think anything can help restore the trust and integrity to Pakistan cricket unless the PCB actually starts showing some concern. Till now, it has been a quiet observer and unlike the Indian and South African cricket boards with Cronje and Azharuddin that came down hard on their players has failed to do so. The evident lack of need to fight this corruption that is unfortunately the very part of Pakstan cricket and it's board is not only a matter that causes much worry but also one that saddens me when I think of the fate of cricket in Pakistan and its future. The board has not been able to sweep this incident under the rug as it usually does (thankfully!) and as three of its key players face possible imprisonment in a foreign country, the eyes of the whole world is now on the PCB.
Its time that PCB finally decides to stop playing games and for once puts Pakistan cricket ahead of all matters and try to set its own house in order. A very tall ask, considering we are talking about Pakistan and I'm sure that it is highly unlikely that something like that would happen. I would like the ICC put more pressure on the PCB, but when a board is so adamant to not change its ways, there's little anyone can do. Pakistan must change its ways, not for anyone else but for the sake of its own future.
The last thing cricket and Pakistan need is another young player committing this heinous crime!
Saad Shafquat in a beautiful article on Cricinfo writes,
I was first glad when I heard the news that Butt and Asif had been found guilty. It was a terrible thing they did and I was glad that the law had caught up to them. I was overjoyed that these bastards (I apologize for the language, but I really can't seem to find a better word to describe the players) had not gotten away and that they are being brought down. The guilty were being brought to justice. Now why shouldn't anyone be happy about that?
However all the joy of the verdict was soon forgotten as I was inevitably reminded by their devious actions. It was shameful, and the worst thing any sports person can do. They not only brought disrepute to the game, their team and country, and their families and themselves but also betrayed the confidence and trust of the millions who follow the game. A crime that I feel is very serious indeed. The entire incident reminds me of Judas selling out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Only difference is that now the cost of betraying has gone up to £150,000.
I feel that these three players including Amir should be handed the harshest sentence possible and made an example so that all who even had the slightest idea of doing a vile thing as match-fixing stop and think twice.
Salman Butt must be going through a particularly difficult time considering that his wife just underwent a Cesarean section giving birth to his second child just a hour before the verdict was delivered. I do not know if he felt any remorse sitting there in his velvet blazer wearing his Rolex watch when the jury read out their judgement, but I do hope he feels something. I however do not pity him one bit and still think that he committed the vilest of acts possible in sports and if it was upto me, I would lock all three in a cell and perhaps even toss the keys into Thames.
Pakistan cricket has already had more than enough wake up calls and now it is in the limelight all over again for the wrong reasons. The Pakistan Cricket Board may have a new head, but still its ugly underbelly exists and this now is out in the open for all to see. The name of Pakistan cricket is tarnished to an extent of almost beyond any repairs and I don't think anything can help restore the trust and integrity to Pakistan cricket unless the PCB actually starts showing some concern. Till now, it has been a quiet observer and unlike the Indian and South African cricket boards with Cronje and Azharuddin that came down hard on their players has failed to do so. The evident lack of need to fight this corruption that is unfortunately the very part of Pakstan cricket and it's board is not only a matter that causes much worry but also one that saddens me when I think of the fate of cricket in Pakistan and its future. The board has not been able to sweep this incident under the rug as it usually does (thankfully!) and as three of its key players face possible imprisonment in a foreign country, the eyes of the whole world is now on the PCB.
Its time that PCB finally decides to stop playing games and for once puts Pakistan cricket ahead of all matters and try to set its own house in order. A very tall ask, considering we are talking about Pakistan and I'm sure that it is highly unlikely that something like that would happen. I would like the ICC put more pressure on the PCB, but when a board is so adamant to not change its ways, there's little anyone can do. Pakistan must change its ways, not for anyone else but for the sake of its own future.
The last thing cricket and Pakistan need is another young player committing this heinous crime!
Saad Shafquat in a beautiful article on Cricinfo writes,
The conviction of Butt and Asif is welcome, but the fight against corruption in cricket has just begun.How true that statement is! The fight has just begun.
2 Comments:
I can't believe Butt only got 2.5 years and is going to appeal! He should've got a lot more, he had to have been the centre of this.
Amir must be an idiot - he had the most amazing future before him and he threw it all away. Stupid, stupid boy.
@Kirby,
Well at least there's something happening. Had this happened elsewhere (in India or Pakistan) I doubt anything would have happened other than a ban.
And it really is a pity with Amir. But at least the kid admitted his mistake and apologized for it, not that it makes any difference but its good to know that he understands his actions and consequences.
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