The testimony of Mazhar Mahmood, a journalist with the now-defunct News of the World tabloid, was as sensational as his sting operation, which exposed the spot-fixing scandal last year. During his stay in the witness box during the spot-fixing hearing underway in London, involving Butt and Asif, the court heard claims of Majeed as he tried to impress the undercover journalist.
Series of claims
The recording, played while Mahmood was in the witness box behind a screen to hide his identity, revealed how Majeed boasted of knowing tennis star Roger Federer and Hollywood actor Brad Pitt ‘very well’.
In addition, Majeed also claimed that match-fixing was going on ‘for centuries’ and former captain Wasim, recent coach Waqar, current assistant coach Ijaz and former wicket-keeper Moin were involved. The court also heard that Pakistan were to throw at least one limited-over international during the England tour last year, and only the timing of the expose seemed to prevent such a result from occurring.
“There is massive, massive money in this,” Majeed was heard to say in the recording played to Southwark Crown Court. Majeed said that for a ‘bracket’ – where bets are made on incidents during a certain period of play – the cost could be between £50,000 and £80,000.
“For a result, Twenty20 is about £400,000 and Test matches, depending on the situation, is about £1 million,” he said.
Majeed also tried to impress Mahmood with a series of boasts that included a meeting with the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman (PCB) Ijaz Butt, and a potential meeting with former president Pervez Musharraf. The court also heard Majeed explaining in the recording what transpired during his alleged meeting with the PCB chairman.
“I had a meeting with him about doing a domestic tournament. What we were going to do was look at putting a sponsor with each region and do a Twenty20 league.”
According to the recording that the jury heard, Majeed even claimed that ‘Australian cricketers were the biggest match-fixers’.
He also bragged about managing 10 Pakistan players including, Kamran and Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik, and having access to other international stars like Chris Gayle, Ricky Ponting, Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh.
‘Testimony damaging for banned players’
According to information gathered by The Express Tribune via an official close to the trial, the recordings shown during the trial confirmed that Majeed was not just an agent for Butt, Asif and Mohammad Amir.
“The players so far have maintained that Majeed was just their agent,” said the official. “The evidence provided by Mahmood confirmed Butt and Majeed were planning events for fixing a Test match and that’s a huge blow for the players’ defence.
“It was an authentic video recording and that can’t be denied by the cricketers.”
Meanwhile, a legal expert said Majeed’s claims on the involvement of former Pakistan cricketers in match-fixing does not carry any weight.
“They are just claims which are not alarming,” said the expert. “Any claim without evidence doesn’t carry weight.”
Wasim denies links
Meanwhile, Wasim has denied links with the agent. “Don’t know the guy,” said Wasim. “I’ve never seen [Majeed] before this issue was unearthed.” AFP (With additional reporting by Fawad Hussain)
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2011.
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May be Mazhar fixed some tennis matches of Rogger Federer too.
@Foosh: I think the players are mature enough to understand right and wrong? What probably PCB needs to adopt is a framework on how to educate players when interacting at broader level as this is not about "only them(players)" it is about country they are representing and their act may bring a bad name for the entire country. Kindly do not blame society of one's wrong doing.
@B +ve: "we have supporters like china, turkey, Germany, Russia, Malaysia, Iran, Indonesia, KSA, UAE, and number of Muslim and Chinese countries are with us, they also oppose western and Indian policies of WAR and anti muslimism, we just need to be more mobilised internationally…. " 1. None of the countries mentioned by you are cricketing countries 2. No one other than you has mentioned WAR. SO calm down. This is about a match fixing case not war.
@Antanu: Majeed says he has 'access' to some Australians and Indians. There is no transaction on their behalf or nothing to demonstrate that they had authorized Majid. Nor any evidence that they took actions based on money taken. SO naturally authorities wil not take any action simply based on Majid's claims. This guy also claims that Younis, Waqar, Wasim were also implicated - and the authorities are not going to take any actions against them etither. This man claims he has social access to Musharraf, Federer and BRad Pitt. Who can believe his claims.SinceMajid's conversation is not under oath but a conversation he was having when he was unawre he was being recorded. So there is minimal credibiity to it.
The only part that can be believed is where tere is proof: a) Someone took money b) SOme one did what was promised to the reporter in lieu of money e.g. nowl a no-ball.
@Noman: "If you have read the whole article he points out at almost every team !" He just claims access to the other players from Indian and Australian teams. Does not claim to represent them. But then he claims social access to Musharraf, Brad Pitt ad Federer too. You have to takewhat this man says with a pinch of salt. The only part that would be accepted is where there is proff - proof that he took money - proof that people acted as agreed (e.g. no-ball, throwing 2 overs etc.
For the same reason his accusations against Waqar, Younis, Wasim do not hold - nor will the court pay any attention to them.
@F. Muhammad: Thanks for making a fair, simple and impartial statement. No excuses punish all culprits, no matter who they are and where do they belong. We have excuses for adding water in milk, fake baby formula, fake drugs, cheating in exams, bribes, and all social evils. It is never our fault and the show continues downwards. Regards, Mirza
Small fish caught, big fish swims.
I hope every body involvd gets his share of punishment!
the trick is to do fixing without being caught...veterans were champions in it.... rest were dumb enough to be caught easily.
@Saleem: You missed Israel! Afganistan? Also the western intelligence agencies along with RAW conspired. You see thay had nothing better to do and still don't have. Afterall these agencies have to justify huge budget allocation to them. What better way than to target Pakistani cricketers!
@Saleem, lets look through positive side Pakistan is not alone in the world, we have supporters like china, turkey, Germany, Russia, Malaysia, Iran, Indonesia, KSA, UAE, and number of Muslim and Chinese countries are with us, they also oppose western and Indian policies of WAR and anti muslimism, we just need to be more mobilised internationally....
Mazhar Majeed has done a irrepairable damage to the reputation of the present and former Pakistan cricketers by accusing them of match fixing. However for others, he has used the word 'access' but no accusation in involvement of fixing against them. Therefore, it can be concluded that though he approached others as well but they didnot fall into his trap, thus all of them are clean.
This is a conspiracy by western countries and India to malign Pakistan and its cricketers. And if other countries' cricketers can do match/spot fixing why cant Pakistani cricketers do it.. The whole world is against Pakistan.. They are jealous of Pakistan!!!
wasim akram is the mother of this design .he was a role model while as an all-rounder a game fixer he is the dishonor on the countenance of PCB.. His foot as proficient cricketer is extremely well-built though he has a drip cricketer. This will be the foreword of waseem in cricket history.
@Mirza: may be it was a set up which targetted easiest baits due to their modest monetary backgrounds?
@Mirza: and what about involvement of Aussies and Indian players...why target only pakis? If the agent is a trusted person then you must believe him when he says the Aussies are the biggest match fixers...why this obession about pak players only?
Wasim's involvement was never a big secret anyway
With due respect, the argument that everybody is doing it does not let one off their criminal acts. This is the same argument that everybody in Pakistan uses to justify their corruption. In this case they are naming names and we are talking everybody. To me a thief is a thief no matter who they are. However, unless they are caught and their names are out, they remain "clean". When somebody is caught speeding on the road, the excuse that everybody does it does not get them off the hook. They are still fined. The fact is Pakistani test cricket is dying due to corruption of the players and terrorism. I am surprised that the supporters and beneficiaries of these corrupt players are not coming out with the excuse that Pakistani Board or Ijaz Butt is responsible! If it was not a set up by bad foreigners then everybody is doing it is the excuse.
@Mirza: If you have read the whole article he points out at almost every team !
salman butt.....proud beaconiite!!!!
Haha give everyone out now aren't we the best at that ? :D
Pathetic