Butt, Asif involved in ‘rampant corruption’
Prosecution outlines case against duo in opening statement.
LONDON:
British prosecutors outlined the corruption case against former captain Salman Butt and fast-bowler Mohammad Asif, who are accused of taking bribes to fix parts of a match against England.
Butt and Asif both deny charges of deliberately bowling no-balls during the Lord’s Test in August 2010.
Fast-bowler Mohammad Amir and the players’ agent Mazhar Majeed have also been charged with the same offences but are not standing trial.
“This case reveals a depressing tale of rampant corruption, with the key players being members of the Pakistan cricket team,” said prosecutor Aftab Jafferjee in his opening statement. “The two bowlers were orchestrated by their captain and his agent to bowl no-balls at a pre-arranged point in the game. Their activity represents a betrayal by them of their own team, their board, and most damaging of all a betrayal of the sport - all for greed.”
The court will continue to hear the case after the prosecution completes its opening statement.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2011.
British prosecutors outlined the corruption case against former captain Salman Butt and fast-bowler Mohammad Asif, who are accused of taking bribes to fix parts of a match against England.
Butt and Asif both deny charges of deliberately bowling no-balls during the Lord’s Test in August 2010.
Fast-bowler Mohammad Amir and the players’ agent Mazhar Majeed have also been charged with the same offences but are not standing trial.
“This case reveals a depressing tale of rampant corruption, with the key players being members of the Pakistan cricket team,” said prosecutor Aftab Jafferjee in his opening statement. “The two bowlers were orchestrated by their captain and his agent to bowl no-balls at a pre-arranged point in the game. Their activity represents a betrayal by them of their own team, their board, and most damaging of all a betrayal of the sport - all for greed.”
The court will continue to hear the case after the prosecution completes its opening statement.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2011.