Shoaib Akhtar has termed low salaries the reason behind cricketers being tempted into match-fixing.
The 37-year-old former fast-bowler claimed that cricketers victimised by their respective boards are forced to make money by shady means.
"Fixing happens in our culture because there's less money, there are even lesser opportunities,” Akhtar told the Headlines Today. "In 2008, I had no money to even buy a car. I had to borrow money from a friend. I handled it, others go astray. Your friends ditch you, the board doesn't back you. They all run you down. So when you return you think 'let me teach them a lesson'. Some are corrupt, but some cricketers are turned into criminals by the system."
Three Pakistani stars — Test captain Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif — were jailed last year after being found guilty of spot-fixing during the 2010 Lord's Test against England. It was the first time international cricketers were handed prison sentences, a scandal described by then-ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat as the worst corruption case since the Hansie Cronje episode.
Former South African captain Cronje, who died in 2002, was banned from the game for life in October 2000; six months after New Delhi police accused him of taking money from a bookie during his team's Indian tour that year.
"We [in Pakistan] don't have much money in cricket. I wasn't playing for India you know. I was an elite star, still after playing for 14 years, I only made seven to eight crore rupees.”
Akhtar, whose career was marked by allegations of drug abuse and ball-tampering, bagged 178 wickets in 46 Tests and 247 in 163 one-day internationals between 1997 and 2011.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2012.
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Saying he made only 7 Crore in 14 years is a LIE. His monthly retainer from PCB was Rs. 250,000. If he had played just one match per month, he would have made more than 7 Crore just in match fees and retainer. In addition, he was paid $425,000 (about 4 crore at today's rate), by KKR. In addition, his county and other contracts. PLUS all of his endorsements with Pepsi and others. He EASILY made that much in 1-2 years. Yes, that's not footballer or Indian Cricketer pay, but it's still pretty good. And we already know that cricketers have been paying no taxes, so all of this was tax free.
Probably shouldn't have blown most of it on booze, babes and drugs eh Shoaib? Sportsmen cheat and get involved in so called shady deals because they get greedy. It has nothing to do with being victimized by the board. Asif and Butt played in the english county and earned quiet a bit from there.
There is absolutely no question of being tempted because they weren't being paid enough by the board given the fact that there are so many legitimate ways to earn extra money. To utter such nonsense is an insult to the intelligence of the fans of the team Pakistan.
Shoaib is one of the most honest cricketers ,but still Shoaib was money more important than playing for Pak ?
Were you in cricket for the money or the love of your nation
You speak as if you barely survived, now dont look at Indian crickets, our economy is booming and cricketers will keep becoming richer ,even other sports are getting money now,like Saina Nehwal got a 40 crore deal and no one in India sees badminton
I think the point he was making has been lost. The core of the debate is that if you do not pay a player his market value then thats the temptation to go corrupt. Ok, to the ordinary person the amounts he mentions seem extravagant, but then its below his market value, and he would have made significantly more had he been playing for India or most other countries. I recall viewing salary scales once, and Pakistan players contracted salaries per month were one of the lowest, just above Bangladesh if I recall.
@Ch. Allah Daad: Akhtar is right to say if he has been such a less amount....compare him to other cricketers n u will find the answer
7-8 crores in 14 years is very low. Shoaib was a celebrity superstar. I guess in Pakistan, its only the corrupt Jahil feudals and industrialists cum politicians and bureaucrats who make money (by illegal means and zero contribution to society) thus leaving it impossible for people of real caliber to make money by legal means.
Dhoni signed a 280crores 3 year deal. Which if we translate to pakistani rupees is 500crores in 3 years.
Shoaib is right, after 14 years he only earned 7crores??
The gulf in money for indian stars and pakistani stars is huge. If shoaib made 7 crores in 14 years, this is 3.5crores in indian rupees. 3.5crores diveded by 14 years makes it 25lakhs per year.
Let us compare to the biggest earner in indian sports Dhoni. Dhoni makes over 80crores per year.
If Shoaib Akthar was indian he would be making easy 30crores per year. which is 60crores pakistani rupees.
Yup, his statement is true and so is our math. I wonder the lavish lifestyle, girlfriends from around the world, booze, drugs and what not were probably funded by the local charity NGO or maybe the so called friends that he is mentioning. I guess instead of playing cricket or trying to make this kind of serious money we should all start looking for these so called friends. This way we can enjoy our life to the fullest and still complain about our financial situation. The problem is that facts are so distorted that nothing seems to make sense, or we refused to understand what might be closest to reality. If there are friends that are out there that he is referring to, kindly i am in dire need of some.
You guys need math lessons. if his statement is true, he wasn't earning 6.6m or 50 lac per month. its 7 crore in 14 years. so it is 700lac divided by (14*12) which is 4.5 lac per month
He has a point cricketers should be paid better,the issue is international sponsors and investors will not put money in to a country that is run by mullahs
To be honest, comparing our cricketers' income to internationals sportsmen or even their cricketing peers in India or England is a joke. They do make a lot less.
Not saying that it should be increased ten-folds but Shoaib is right in saying that they don't get paid competitively which makes it easier for the bookies to pay them less money and get a desired result rather than lets say paying someone like Tendulkar $10mil and getting a result.
Bribe is of course not legal in any circumstance but look at our bureaucrats, politicians even top ranking military personnel [not all of course] to some extent. Think openly and make yourself home with the situation at hand before commenting on it. We all know Mohammad Aamir was entrapped by Salman Butt but because Butt had connections with the board he's back in the limelight on national television and we've all accepted him openly. Not saying we shouldn't but we as a society have an element of bribe giving/taking in us so don't blame the cricketers only
There has been no allegation of match fixing on Shoaib Akhtar.He's not that religious,been controversial but was never corrupt throughout his career.He must be careful while talking to Indian news channels since one must not forget how they defamed him after his book came out. Many people say that Sachin Tendulkar is a great batsman but not a match winner,and that's what Akhtar also said.And it did happen in Bangladesh earlier this year when Sachin finally made 100th century but India also lost the same game.Anyways very few people can understand the wisdom of Shoaib Akhtar and Indian media especially TOI given their fascist attitude can't do so.Apart from Tendulkar, Akhtar had also talked about Shoaib Malik,Jawed Miandad,Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq and others.And he criticized his fellow teammates more than Tendulkar.But very few people in India have read his book and Indian media carried out character assassination of Akhtar.
This makes me sick to my stomach. You were earning approximately Rs 6.6 M a month. Could this really be termed as "low salary" when an average person earns Rs 6000 a month in this country. This defines you right here right now. We don't need to look elsewhere to find how really Shoib Akhtar is.
@suleman: Even yousuf pathan ( a grade c player) had been sold for 9 crore in one IPL season.Leave zaheer and Irfan.Zaheer is in grade a category.So you can imagine ,how rich he is.Even Munaf (son of rickshaw puller) is better paid than him and way much richer.Here specifically I choose to compare with muslim players of our team.Comparing earnings of Sachin,Dhoni,Sehwag with any pakistani player is day dreaming.No doubt shoaib was immensely talented player.But after reading about his earnings ,i m really shocked.Only 8 crore.He cannot buy a Ferrari with his entire lifes earning .If he was playing for India ,He would have felt the real stardom.Money, glamour ,power every thing he would have experienced.Nevertheless many in india r fan of him and i m one among them.
Shoaib take a hike!
"I only made seven to eight crore rupees" Greed has no limits.
7-8 crores is a pretty big amount. What car was he trying to buy that he didn't have the money for?
Shoiab you have lost it. Poverty is never an excuse of a sin. Holy Prophet PBUH said that vinegar and wheat bread is the best food. How many people in Pakistan cannot afford vinegar and wheat bread? It is not poverty, it is the training we get from the laps of our mothers which define our morality.
"i only earned 7-8 crore rupees....i wasn't playing for india u know"............i think 7-8 crore is pretty descent if of course u aren't comparing it to dhoni's salary.........