PAKISTAN cricket authorities on Saturday (April 13) banned two umpires, including one international, after finding them guilty of being willing to spot-fix in return for money.
Nadeem Ghauri, who stood in five Tests, 43 one-day and four Twenty20 internationals was suspended for four years while domestic first-class umpire Anis Siddiqui received a three year penalty.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the measures after the private India TV channel aired footage in October in which a number of umpires faced questions from undercover reporters asking if they would give decisions in return for cash.
The PCB said in a statement that Ghauri, 50, “straight away agreed to extend undue favours for material gains, therefore, he cannot be cleared to officiate matches for a period of four years”.
However, it noted that Siddiqui “resisted their undue demands repeatedly, but finally conceded to them on their persistence”.
The umpires caught up in the sting included the two from Pakistan, three from Sri Lanka and Nadir Shah of Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board last month banned Shah, also an international umpire, for ten years after he appeared to show he was willing to give lbw (leg before wicket) decisions in return for cash.
All the umpires were immediately suspended by their respective countries on the instructions of the International Cricket Council (ICC) pending inquiry.
“Today’s decision reiterates the commitment of the PCB to keep our great sport free of all corrupt practices,” the PCB statement said after reaching a decision during a meeting of the integrity committee.
The allegations were broadcast only days after the final of the World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka.
The PCB said it had undertaken a rigorous investigation before coming to its decision.
“The committee obtained unedited video footage from the India TV along with all relevant evidence available with the ICC, and after authenticating Ghauri and Siddiqui were asked to give a written submission and were cross examined,” it said.
Sri Lanka Cricket’s inquiry against their umpires Gamini Dissanayake, Maurice Winston, Sagara Gallage is still pending.
Ghauri said the suspension had left him reeling.
“The four years ban is a big shock for me,” he said. “I will consult lawyers and friends before taking the next step. I was never involved in any sort of corruption as player or as umpire.”
Ghauri featured in one Test and six one-day internationals for Pakistan as a player in 1989-90 and his last international umpiring fixture was Pakistan against South Africa in UAE in 2010.
Pakistan has been at the centre of fixing scandals since 1994 when their captain Salim Malik was alleged to have offered bribes to Australian players Shane Warne, Tim May and Mark Waugh to underperform during matches on the tour.
Malik was subsequently banned for life by a judicial inquiry while Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul Haq, Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar, Mushtaq Ahmed and Akram Raza were fined.
Three Pakistani players – Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer – were also banned and jailed after a newspaper sting operation caught them in spot-fixing scandal on the tour of England in 2010.
Pakistan’s leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was also banned for life by the England and Wales Cricket Board on charges of spot-fixing last year.
