Amir ought to have come clean sooner: Afridi
Mohammad Amir, a young and upcoming prospect for Pakistani cricket had found himself in the midst of a spot-fixing scandal last year when he was on tour with the Pakistan national team. A sting by the now defunct News of the World news papers showed a bookie taking money from an undercover reporter for having certain bowlers in the Pakistan ranks deliberately bowling no-balls on pre-specified deliveries. Amir, along with other accuses, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt had for long pleaded innocence. However, Amir came clean during a court hearing on Wednesday, submitting a written statement confessing to the charges labelled against him.
Afridi, who himself has faced controversy in cricket after being found guilty of biting down on a ball in February 2010 with a swift two T20 match ban. Afridi had already been in strife for ball tampering, suspended for one Test and two one-dayers in 2005.
Afridi further said that it remains to be seen who had entrapped Amir into committing this act and who all were his accomplices.
Afridi went on to talk about his own career, saying that he could not continue playing under the coach (Waqar Younis) who had been giving the former skipper problems. Though, Afridi maintained that conditions had since (his departure from the team) improved and he wished to continue playing cricket.
He also congratulated the Pakistan cricket team on their success in Zimbabwe.
Razzaq agrees with Afridi
Pakistan cricket all-rounder Abdul Razzaq echoed the sentiments of Afridi saying that Amir ought to have confessed his involvement much earlier.
Razzaq said that it is now up to the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board to decide what punishment Amir would have to face for his actions.
COMMENTS (19)
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Fawad must have made money over Mohammad Amir spot fixing to be wanting him back on the team.
@Asad: You got that point. They are hiring the new players but new one's like Rameez, Asad, Hammad Azam and Wahab Riaz need more frequent tours on International crick. Selection is good but we don't need the old players like Imran farhat or Taufeeq omar instead PCB would take Imran Nazir an aggressive opener in a team with Hafeez.
These new players are like new parts that takes to make room for themselve in Paki team. If we got AAA back it would be Sonay par Sohaga!
@Fawad, yes lets move forward, forget Asif completely and Amir for next 5 yrs. As for Afridi, he's just a T20 or One-day player. Pakistan should look for excellance in the real game, Test match cricket, and find talented cricketers who have the temperament and technique for the 5-day game.
Asif is all done and over with. He has been a repeat offender and cannot have a future at his age after suspension. Butt is also all done for his part as being the gang leader, with the cash in his room. Only if Amir would have apologized and cooperated during the investigation, his punishment would have been less. Has he apologized to the nation and the cricketing world yet? His admission of guilt is a bit too little and too late. However, looking at his young age, he might have some light at the end of the tunnel. Pakistan must move forward and not look back.
@Asad: This is not a solution to a problem for Paki cric players by saying who is criminal or who get punished. It's enough now that our ppl and media has exploited too much.
Let's move on and work collectively to get your best AAA players back in team. I had already so much talks on it and not going to talk more about it. Stand-up, think big and make your team as top cricket team in the World just like 1992 leadership in the team. Don't just stuck on ICC fines or conspiracies prior to Amir or Asif punishment or confess of their punishments for what they did. Don't need to stop on one sided issue and Pak crick needs to keep on progressing until the T20 WorldCupe and 2015 Worldcup.
@Fawad, Amir is not 17 yrs old, infact he is officially 20 yrs old and in reality 22 yrs old. At 18 everyone is considered an adult and hence no leniency is shown for any offense committed. In Saudi Arabia (per Islamic law) the punishment for a thief is cutting his hand regardless of the amount of theft. So, yes, taking money illegally for bowling a No-ball and then lying about it for a year is an offense and a crime!
In a great game already tarnshided by great cheats from Pakistan, India, South Africa (e.g. Saleem Malik, M. Azharuddin, Hansie Cronje were punished and some who escaped with just a reprimand e.g. Wasim Akram, Inzi, Ijaz Ahmed, Mushtaq Ahmed), there is presently a Zero-tolerance policy for corruption and that is how it should be. If we as a nation had a zero-tolerance policy towards corrupt and convicted politicians then those in power in Federal and Provincial Governments would not be in Govt. at all.
I think you forgot that Ajey Jadeja, Azharuddin, Hrashal Gibbs alos got punished. Amir,Asif and Salman do wrong and punished very rightly. If somebody before them got punished for that act they will not do this. I think in future players think twice before taking bribe.
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@Zeeshan: It's too early too say that team has performed well. Well Zimbabwe is not a benchmark to judge. Just wait how this team perform against Srilanka or England as benmarking. You will see dhoodh ka dhoodh and Panee ka Panee.
@3footninja: By they way no one becomes a criminal by putting a simple no ball. You have the biggest criminal & corrupt politician theif ruling ur nation. If you ppl are so aware why you cast those ppl to rule your country. You need to understand why 5yrs for young 17yr old Ammir and Asif just because they put a wrong ball and got trapped into a big conspiracy. If Eng or Aus or South africa player were there for this event they wouldn't have got such a harsh punishment becz their media and ppl unite on defending their ppl even if they have gambled and handle situations quietly and not exploiting to the whole world. Eng or Ausi player does gambling but ICC don't watch them or don't exploit like our media does. The punishment these goora player would have got for 1yr ban not 5yr ban.
If you are a true paki then you need to learn to defend ur ppl for Pak cricket and prosperity.
i totally agree with antanu ghosh
@syed baqar ahsan: how?
being only 18 / 19 amir should be given a chance to redeem himself. Punishment for wrongdoing should be aimed at correcting an individual and not to make him an outcaste.if amir has learned a lesson, he may become a role model.
Team has performed better under Misbah both on and off the field. Pakistan Cricket can do much better without Afridi. We need diplomacy not Afridi type characters who have attitude problems i.e., dancing on the field, chewing cricket balls and throwing away this wicket when the team needs him out there.
@Fawad: You want Amir and Asif back in the team?!?!!?!!?? After all they've done to themselves, their team and their country? Don't you think criminals should be punished? It is people like you who condone such activities that need to be punished more than the players themselves. Sad.
@ Baqar. Get your facts right! Afridi had given up captaincy. It was Salman in charge. In fact the cat was guarding the cream!
Afridi and security officer are main culprits of poor command and control over the team. They are to be punished.
Good job.I agree with Afridi. We want AAA(Amir,Afridi, Asif) back in Paki-Team.