ICC dismisses India match-fixing claims
The chief executive of the sport's world governing body, Haroon Lorgat, described a report in Britain's Sunday Times that it was probing last year's World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan as "baseless and misleading".
"The ICC has no reason or evidence to require an investigation into this match," he said in an emailed statement to media.
"It is indeed sad for spurious claims to be made which only serve to cause doubt on the semi-final of one of the most successful ICC Cricket World Cups ever."
The weekly claimed on Sunday that it had uncovered evidence that tens of thousands of pounds (dollars) was on offer to players to throw part or all of international matches, including the crunch semi-final between the bitter South Asian rivals.
India won the match and went on to beat Sri Lanka in the final.
One New Delhi-based bookmaker was quoted as saying that English county cricket was a "good new market" because matches were low-profile. Money was on offer to batsmen to score slowly and bowlers to concede runs in a set pattern, the report said.
The allegations came just weeks after former Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield became the first English cricketer to be jailed for corruption, after admitting accepting money to fix a match against Durham in September 2009. Last year, Pakistan players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were also jailed in Britain for their role in a separate "spot-fixing" scandal concerning a 2010 Test match against England.
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English paper accused not only players but also officials of involvement in match fixing during last years world cup.In exercise of their right ICC is justified in denying the allegation made by a well respected British newspaper but in all fairness ICC must ask the newspaper to show them the credible evidence in it's possession.After all the objective of ICC,media and fans is identical. Pointing fingers towards involvement of officials must be taken extremely seriously.
@Safeer-e-Hussain: The match that was fixed was supposedly the semifinal match between India and Pakistan. Since the winning side does not need to accept money to win and since the loosing side has all the reason to accept the money to loose, you know who should obviously be at fault of accepting bribe to take the 'Ghairath' of their country..... In between the lines - "Afridi dropped an easy catch of Tendulkar in the match whose innings later went on to win the match for india... So you know who fixed the match??? The one who dropped an easy catch or the one who won the match?????" The Man of the match should have actually been Afridi (from Indian side!!!!)
@Pakistani problem lies with India as they have huge match fixing mafia
The biggest match fixer, Dawood Ibrahim lives in Pakistan and his daughter is married to Javed Maindad's son
@Madara who writes...
"There have been speculations in the recent past after world cup semi final that lbw of sachin tendulkar against saeed ajmal which was turned down due to “DRS” was some how manipulated (changing position of camera). "
Yes, I agree with you. There are also speculations that the umpires of that match had an electronic device implanted in their brains through with their decisions were controlled by BCCI.
Haroon lorgat, the same chairman who said he wanted sachin tendulkar to win a world cup before he retires is now taking these claims as baseless and misleading. He is perhaps the most biased chairman to ever lead the ICC. The problem is basically IPL indian players get bank rolled while pakistani players can't take part and then they are bought in actual games easily.
@Pakistani: I dont know what your thinking. Yes the fixers are in India but the players fixing must be held responsible and in the recent past Pakistan hasnt covered itself with glory with the honesty of its players. Fixing doesnt provide huge money for the economy it fills the pockets of a few. Stop talking like the money generated through cricket is because of fixing. Its because cricket is a game where there is a break every 4mins between overs so the airtime for ads is huge and the tv rights income is massive.
problem lies with India as they have huge match fixing mafia, the money spinning BCCI and the clout it enjoys in ICC due to advertising money……remember teams are forced to lose these days by match fixing mafia rather than players doing it themsleves……have you forgotten woolmer, cronje and zulqarnain….whosoever tries to open mouth against mubai fixers …he either dies or is shunted out….so problem is INDIA not any other team or country…… ban India and Cricket will be clean......have you ever heard a clamp down by police on fixers in India.....answer is big .....no....why...?????? because fixing is part of making huge money for economy....!!!!!
@Its (still) the economy Stupid: Were you with the bookie when he gave the interview... its a known fact that the bookies' headquaters is based in India... accept it....
How about investigating on the final of the World Cup. I can bet we can easily hear the truth but of-course its useless to expect anything out of the dead body (ICC).
What most of the people fail to realize that fixing a match doesn't always require losing or wining team to receive money. It could be some other person or entity for example it could be the cricket board.
There have been speculations in the recent past after world cup semi final that lbw of sachin tendulkar against saeed ajmal which was turned down due to "DRS" was some how manipulated (changing position of camera). Sachin was only on 23 off 26 balls at that time and the next valuable runs were made by Raina 36 off 39 balls. Giving out sachin would have turned the match around significantly.
Well, When ever India is involved in any thing ICC just dont take notice of it, This is, so far the prime example. Come on guys why should we take these things seriously, Just ghumfree yourself from all these worries. :)
@Cynical: But i thought Indian Players are paid so much, by BCCI, so that they win matches for the country, isnt it true? I mean i work and so my company pays me , does the world work in a different way in Pakistan?
Interesting to see that the Pakistani respondents are more willing to accept the notion that the BCCI is forcing the ICC denial (thus implying wrong doing on the part of Pakistani players) rather than accept the idea that there was no match fixing and the Pakistani players played with integrity.
I have no idea how this story is against India. You will find bookies in every country, not just India. The fact that India won that match goes to show atleast they were not the ones gullible enough to lose for money.
@enlightened ... good one! lol!
They can't probe it because it was fixed on a state level with full support of BCCI,
probing it would be like ICC rubbing it's face in gutter that too by it's own free will :)
Most people are reacting emotionally and without reading the facts. The bookie was drunk at the time when he made the claims. No court of law will accept confessions made under the influence of alchol while conducting a sting operation. Why waste money and time on a non-starter until unless?
There's no point in giving remarks which perhaps have no reality to it. The news about the match-fixing in the semi-final is just a mere speculation. If indeed, behind the scene match fixing has taken place then it's a disgrace to both the nations and we, whether it be an Indian or Pakistani cricket fan, can't really have faith in our players then. And when there's a match-fixing no team is a real winner!
Man, that was fast! Someone needs to investigate this denial...
The way I read it . . . India is behind in fixing matches and penalizing Pakistani players India is behind in Balochistan unrest India is behind in creating other Pakistani problems India was behind in breaking up of Pakistan into two parts.
Truly speaking, most Indians will be very proud if any of the above were true. The irony is, India is plain and simple behind. The Neta's are not capable of doing anything except for preserving their seats.
@Safeer-e-Hussain: Fell lucky that the ICC had dismissed the sting claim. If not then the axe will fall on the Pakistani Cricket Players and not Indian Cricket Players because India won that match and Pakistan lost it. Use your tiny mantle because wining team cannot fix the match but losing team can fix it.
Pakistan is being deliberately penalized.
It's all about the market size and power of money. Pakistan should walk out of playing cricket with other nations, when so many other forms of sports, including Islamic ones, are available. Besides, Cricket is a colonial game. Let countries like India with no self respect keep playing it.
“The ICC has no reason or evidence to require an investigation into this match,”
There are many many reasons, and of course their is no evidence. Investigation is supposed to be done to fine "evidence". Seems fishy.
righty rightist your comment is absolutely incorrect. allegations nowadays almost always relate to spot fixing, not match fixing, yet some publications use the terms interchangeably. it is absolutely possible to be involved in spot fixing and for your team to win the match. if someone pays a player $20,000 to bowl a no-ball, it does not mean the team will necessarily lose.
i dont know if the india-pak match was fixed or not..but its hard to prove/disprove anything related to spot fixing. the bet can be about anything. mashrafe mortaza said that when someone approached him before the BPL, they asked whether he would be wearing his sunglasses or not. these types of betting markets exist so how could you possibly stop it. the news of the world did the right thing and more sting operations should be done. i dont want corrupt players representing pakistan. i cant believe that nasir jamshed was picked for the asia cup after his bank account number was found with the man who was arrested in Bangladesh. he may have talent but there are many talented players in pakistan, why can't we avoid these types completely?
And I don't understand certain comments here. What has BCCI got to do with this episode?
If the match was fixed it was done by NON STATE ACTORS. Or Betting mafia could be behind it.
Pakistanis are talking as if BCCI paid Shahid afridi to lose the match!!!
daal mae kuch kala hae!!
inshAllah truth will come out!
The announcement made by ICC has come at an appropriate time when both teams are playing together in Asia cup. A lot of pressure on both teams would be off as they can now remain focus on cricket and matches to follow.
@Zaid Hamid: lol zionist ICC
In normal times, dropping Tendulkar's catch once can be a mistake, twice is a coincidence, thrice and something smells fishy. Four times and there is something definitely rotten. In a World Cup semi-final, it is absolutely criminal.
I always suspected that the semi-final defeat was a bit dodgy. Doesn't surprise me if there is truth in this claim.
Its the money which prevails and BCCI has money. More than sixty percent of funds generated in cricket industry are through BCCI. No one including Bookies want to shut down this Circus.
@Safeer-e-Hussain who writes "LOL again. Had it been Pakistan they would have banned a dozen players ab tak!"
I don't know why you are laughing!!!
Because, you have to understand that if this match is really fixed then only Pakistani players' heads will roll. Because only a losing team can take money and fix the game. Not a winning team! How did that logic slip your brain?
In other words, Pakistanis should thank ICC for Afridi's head would roll and Pakistan would be humiliated further.
Zioinst ICC. By the way, in a way, it saved Pakistan's ghairat. Had it been proved it was our bekasoor players who were lured by dirty Indian money to feel the heat. This is the roohaani ehsaas of Pakistan.
British media has gone crazy since they lost India jet fighter deal. We will be hearing more stories in British media against anything good in India. British are bad losers.
LOL. Well Played ICC. 75% of ICC's income comes from BCCI. They can't even touch them. Pakistanioon say hi problem hai inko :@
BCCI prevailing once again...
This is a conspiracy against Pakistan by RAW, CIA, and what-not, how can you ask Pakistani's to believe they actually lost without their players taking any money? next to impossible.
Obviously they can't because of BCCI.