Spot-fixing: Mazhar Majeed appeals against conviction

Majeed was convicted for striking the deal during the 2010 Pak vs Eng series, was sentenced to 32 months in prison.

ISLAMABAD: Former sports agent Mazhar Majeed, jailed for his involvement in a spot-fixing scandal, has appealed against his conviction, a private news channel reported on Thursday.     

Majeed along with the infamous trio, Mohammad Asif, Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir were all given jail terms of varying lengths by a court in London in October 2011. They had been found guilty of being involved in spot-fixing during Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010.

The two bowlers, in connivance with then skipper, Butt, were to bowl no-balls on predetermined deliveries in exchange for vast amounts of money. The fix had been made between Majeed, who was close to the players, and undercover News of the World reporters. The undercover reporters had managed to video tape the entire deal.

Majeed was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Former Test captain Butt was jailed for two and a half years for his role as the "organiser" of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the 2010 Lord's Test against England. Former Test bowler Asif was sentenced to 12 months, while underage Amir, who had shown tremendous potential for the game, was sentenced to six months.

Amir and Butt failed in an attempt to have their sentences reduced at the Court of Appeal in November 2011. Amir and Asif were released recently in 2012 after completing their jail terms.

In February 2011, an International Cricket Council (ICC) tribunal had banned former captain Butt for 10 years (the last five years of which have been suspended should no further offences happen), Asif for seven years (with last two years suspended should no further offences happen) and Amir for five years.