OTD| Three Pakistan players were sentenced to jail time in 2011 for their involvement in spot-fixing during Lord’s Test 

On this day 12 years ago three Pakistani players Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt were sentenced to jail as they were involved in a spot-fixing case, during Lord’s Test in 2010. The players suffered a ban from the Cricket Governing Body. The three players were trialled in the London court for conspiracy to cheat and accepting payments from the bookies. 

Cricketing Agent Mazhar Majeed was also involved in the case. They were told to ball deliberate no-balls in the game, by Majeed. Amir, before the trial, confessed his guilt and then the 18-year-old who started the career, was sentenced to eight months prison time. Salman, who was leading the Pakistan squad at the time of the incident, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for being “the orchestrator of this activity.” Asif was sentenced to one year in jail. The agent was sentenced to 2 years and 8 months of imprisonment. The bowler and Butt did not accept their guilt but they were found guilty by the court and were sentenced to imprisonment. 

The evidence in the trial included hidden camera footage recorded during a sting by the now-defunct newspaper News of the World. The sting film was shot by an undercover journalist who met with Majeed to arrange the match. Majeed was heard in the video claiming that he could convince Asif and Amir to ball no-balls at the specified point in the match.

Then judge, Mr Justice Cooke said, “It’s not cricket’ was an adage. It is the insidious effect of your actions on professional cricket and the followers of it that make the offences so serious.”

“The image and integrity of what was once a game but is now a business is damaged in the eyes of all, including the many youngsters who regarded you as heroes and would have given their eyeteeth to play at the levels and with the skills that you had.”

They were back in action after serving their ban by the Governing Body. 

Also read: OTD| West Indies suffered a massive batting collapse as they were bundled for 53 in a Test against Pakistan in 1986