Daily Times

lAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has launched an investigation into Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal’s claim that he was offered $200,000 for fixing. During a TV show on Sunday, Umar revealed that he was offered as much as $200,000 during a World Cup match to leave two particular deliveries in the course of the match. He revealed an even more concerning approach by a corrupted element as he was asked to deliberately skip a World Cup match by feigning an excuse in exchange for a significant sum of money. Speaking on the talk show ‘Sports Action’, Umar was particularly candid when asked about match-fixing approaches in the light of a topic that has particularly crippled Pakistan cricket over the years, in the mid-nineties and then providing another setback in 2010.

“I was once offered $200,000 for leaving two deliveries. I was also offered to skip matches against India.” Umar said in the interview. “I was also approached during ICC World Cup, including the 2015 edition played in Australia and New Zealand.” The revelation has particular implications, even when Umar clearly states that he turned down all the lucrative offers on the account of integrity and sincerity to his homeland, the question arises whether he reported it to either his cricketing board or ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit, just like Sarfaraz Ahmed did last year. According to ICC anti-corruption code 2.4.4 and 2.4.5, players are bound to report all the corrupt approaches made to them during any event and failure of doing so carry a minimum punishment of five years.

“The ICC is aware of a recent interview given by Umar. The ICC is reliant on players to report any corrupt approaches in timely manner,” said an ICC spokesman. “We are taking Umar’s comments very seriously. We have launched an investigation and wish to speak to Umar as
matter of urgency,” the spokesman added. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s anti corruption unit has served a notice to Umar and summoned him to appear before it on June 27.

Published in Daily Times, June 25^th 2018.