Spot-fixing case: Najam reveals players’ breach of conduct

Former security manager says Mazhar and Azhar Majeed were seen in Wahab Riaz’s room during the third Test in England.

Former security manager of Pakistan’s national cricket team Khwaja Najam has said that alleged bookie Mazhar Majeed and his brother Azhar were seen in Wahab Riaz’s room during the third Test in England.

Najam was testifying in front of the independent tribunal currently conducting a hearing into spot-fixing allegations against three Pakistani players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, in Doha, Qatar, The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.

Najam also confirmed that despite repeated warnings, some of the players refused to distance themselves from the Majeed brothers. “After being spotted in London, the brothers were told to leave the hotel room in 30 seconds,” he said.

“The Majeed brothers were seen during the World Twenty20 in the West Indies and the players were told to stay away from them,” APP quoted Najam as saying. “When I saw Azhar in Riaz’s room in London, I asked the fast bowler to bring him out. Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt were also sitting with them. When Azhar came out, one of the national team selectors also accompanied him and said he wanted match tickets from Riaz.”

Najam said that the selector saw Azhar out of the hotel while Salman and Akmal apologised for the breach.

Najam also said that he was present when the police raided Butt’s room and found Rs5.9 million worth of valuables. While £250 were said to be given to him by his agent, Butt said that the rest of the stuff – including two expensive watches – was part of his sister’s dowry. “His body language was very tense and he was speaking very loudly [when he was being questioned],” Najam said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2011.