Asif blamed Salman for spot-fixing fix: Tribunal report

Released document shows Mohammad Asif blamed Salman Butt during the hearing for sharing precise timing of no-balls.

Mohammad Asif blamed Salman Butt for sharing the precise timing of the infamous no-balls during the hearing that took place in Doha, according to details of the 102-page judgment shared on ESPNCricinfo.

The International Cricket Council (ICC), in its bid to be “as transparent an organisation as is feasible”, released the document on its website that not only shares proceedings of the hearing – that was held in January and February – but also gives details of the various conversations that took place between the News of the World reporter, Mazhar Majeed as well as the trio.

“Publishing the full written determination of the tribunal is clearly in the best interest of cricket,” said Haroon Lorgat, the ICC Chief Executive

In the judgment, the three players’ defences were different. While Asif suggested that Salman was involved in the conspiracy and he was the “unwitting instrument” of the captain, the latter accepted there was a fix but he was not involved. Mohammad Amir denied his involvement and stated that he was unaware of any fix.

The one positive point for the trio was that the money found in the hotel rooms of Amir and Salman could not be proved to be a product of the fix beyond reasonable doubt. The document, not available to readers in England and Wales, proceeds with calling the charges a one-off incident that was halted by the British tabloid’s sting operation and because no money was proved to have been paid for the fix, life bans were not required. And even though the judgement insists the eventual penalties given are harsh, it also recommends Asif and Salman be involved in educational programmes to warn young players.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2011.