5 Pakistani cricketers banned for corruption
Corruption and cheating have been a part of cricket for some time now. Match-fixing saga, spot-fixing scandals, player-bookie illicit relationships have rocked the cricketing world several times.
Players from India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Bangladesh, etc. were, reprimanded or jailed, but Pakistan seems to have led the race with 7-8 players caught in this match-fixing saga. They were caught and banned for lifetime. Some even went to jail. Let us take a look at five Pakistani cricketers who were banned for corruption.
#1: Saleem Malik
Saleem Malik received a life-ban following a match-fixing scandal that rocked Pakistan cricket in the 1990s. Rashid Latif, the former captain, and wicket-keeper blew the whistle during Pakistan’s tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe in 1995. He accused Malik of wrongdoing and accepting money. Justice Qayyum led a judicial inquiry into this incident. Malik was found guilty and jailed.
#2: Mohammad Amir
Mohammad Amir was involved in deliberately bowling no-balls during Pakistan's tour of England in 2010. The newspaper News of the World carried out the sting operation and showed that he had done this in return for payment from a betting syndicate. ICC suspended Amir under the provisions of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code.
#3: Danish Kaneria
Kaneria was arrested by English police after he was accused of "match irregularities" whilst playing for Essex. He was banned for life from any cricket under the purview of the ECB. The Pakistan Cricket Board has indicated that they would honour any sanctions handed out by the ECB to Kaneria.
#4: Sharjeel Khan
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) slapped a five-year ban on Sharjeel Khan following his involvement in spot-fixing allegations during Pakistan Super League 2017. He has not accepted this decision of the tribunal to agree to all five charges filed against him by the PCB. He has decided to appeal against the ban in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland.
#5: Salman Butt
Salman admitted to his role in the 2010 Lord’s spot-fixing scandal to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman Sheharyar Khan. He was accused of orchestrating the bowling of no-balls against England in August 2010. He is serving a 10-year suspension from cricket, the last five years of which are suspended.