‘Afridi, Umar Akmal refused to fix England ODIs in UAE’
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Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal turned down offers to fix one-day international matches against England during their tour of the UAE in 2012, British media claimed on Saturday.
According to reports, both the players immediately refused to get involved and reported the approaches to the team management.
Both were approached separately about rigging the series, which England won 4-0.
“It happened during that period and the person got the appropriate reply from me,” Afridi was quoted as saying.
“Shahid was approached by a gentleman in the lobby of the team hotel, but didn’t hang about to hear how much they were offering,” the Sun newspaper reported quoting a source close to the Pakistan team.
PCB chief Najam Sethi has recently disowned Sussex paceman Naveed Arif publicly, who has been suspended by the England and Wales Cricket Board on charges of match-fixing alongside New Zealand’s Lou Vincent.
Sethi said Pakistan had “no relations” with Arif, who was charged on Thursday with six offences relating to a 40-over game between Sussex and Kent in August 2011.
The PCB head said the board has taken tough measures to crack down on cricket fixers.
“We have taken some stringent steps to stop corruption and have adopted zero tolerance on such things,” he said.
Former Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria is serving a life ban for spot-fixing in an English county game.
Three Pakistani stars – Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammed Amir – were given bans and jail time for their role in spot-fixing in the now-notorious Lord's Test against England in 2010.
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On DawnNews
Comments (37) Closed
May 24, 2014 11:32pm
That's the right thing to do for any and all cricketers in the world including the green-shirts. Well done Afridi and Akmal. Keep it up and hang on tough.
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May 24, 2014 11:36pm
Well done
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May 24, 2014 11:38pm
Thanks for verifying the honesty of our players. Those who approached the players offering bribes should arrested & punished. Unless this is done the ill doers shall continue to lure innocent players to wrong doing
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May 24, 2014 11:40pm
They are good guys. That should should be a good example for the others.
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May 24, 2014 11:53pm
Well done Shahid & Umar. This is how cricket lovers would like all cricketers to behave. We are proud of you both.
Asif, Salman and Amir, all convicted criminals, must be treated by the nation as criminals.
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May 25, 2014 12:28am
Oh lets clap together for our cricketers for not doing corruption. Its a remarkable act and is certainly an event now if we see people working with integrity and honesty.
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May 25, 2014 12:31am
These boys are the good guys.kudos to them for not spoiling our Pakistan name.well done
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May 25, 2014 12:37am
The question is why Lou Vincent, Chris Cairns have not been arrested? I hope Afridi and Umar Akmal remember that they achieved that kind of respect and love from people because they play well and they play honorably.
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May 25, 2014 12:50am
Pleased to see that the media is also passing the credit where it is due. In the days of doom and gloom, news like this makes us feel proud. Well done to Lala and Akmal.
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May 25, 2014 01:08am
thanks boys, you held our head high...
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May 25, 2014 01:11am
Well done boys! we are proud of you.
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May 25, 2014 01:46am
Good Job Afridi.
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May 25, 2014 02:37am
men of upright characters----proud of you guys
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May 25, 2014 03:41am
If Pakistan lost the series 4-0 than were these matches fixed by Afridi,Umar and others to lose only?
It shows that the matches were fixed by some Pakistani players for sure! Otherwise Pakistan could have won at least one match.
The PCB should investigate matching fixing by Pakistani players!
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May 25, 2014 06:09am
Bravo for sticking to principles Boom Boom and Umar Akmal! You are setting a solid example of how NOT to take your career on the path of self destruction. You both hold the key to future cricketers who will be following in your principled footsteps.
The PCB should have training programs in ethics once young cricketers enter the junior programs. The sooner our young cricketers are inculcated about the detrimental and career destroying side of this disease, the better. In fact cricketers such as Kaneria should give talks to the younger gen cricketers about how not to engage in such activities which could shatter their dreams and hopes of success on the cricket field.
Thank you
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May 25, 2014 07:18am
On the field, both of them smash the cricket ball out of the park.. He chose the wrong people. He needs to take care of IPL.
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May 25, 2014 07:47am
Not a fan of either, but this news will help a lot in restoring Pakistan's status in international cricket. Sometimes what you do off the field is more important than what you do on. Bravo!
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May 25, 2014 08:19am
Thanks! boys you did not do match fixing in the series and Pakistan lost 4-0.
If you would have fixed the series than I don't know what would have happened? Wake up Pakistan! There is something wrong here!
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May 25, 2014 08:43am
Body language of Afridi and Akmal in the field ( while playing) speak of what they are.Any person who is dedicated to the game and their flag will always refuse fortunes for honor and glory of their country.VERY WELL DONE .PROUD OF YOU
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May 25, 2014 09:21am
Crackdown on cricket fixers is ok, but what about the election fixers???
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May 25, 2014 09:56am
Made us proud. Well Done.
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May 25, 2014 11:04am
It is a sad day indeed when NOT taking a bribe becomes news.
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May 25, 2014 11:45am
The PCB head said the board has taken tough measures to crack down on cricket fixers, rather PCB has been given to
election fixers and 'puncture fixers'.
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May 25, 2014 11:58am
Well done. Well done. Well done. And thank you very much Afridi and Umar for holding our head high in these difficult times.
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May 25, 2014 12:46pm
in 2012 ?? Seriously ? Why does it matter now.
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May 25, 2014 03:17pm
They knew they will lose anyways.
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May 25, 2014 07:04pm
Well done, good example for the next generation of cricketers.
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May 25, 2014 08:41pm
both the players immediately refused to get involved and reported the approaches to the team management. iF THIS IS TRUE, WHAT DID THE ECB AND PCB DO ABOUT IT? OOPS, WHAT pcb, too busy playing musical chairs
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May 25, 2014 10:42pm
I am not a very smart person.. that is exactly why I fail to understand that why these stories surface after few years? When this thing happened why wasn't it reported in media straightaway. Why ICC and the likes are angry about Brendon McCullum's testimony being leaked to media? Is the sports a covert operation of something like CIA? Why proofs against Kaneria are not made public yet? The decisions are taken but no details of the proofs? Why all this secrecy? What does it serve? Can anyone shed some light?
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May 26, 2014 05:36am
Afridi is the man. But Umar Akmal - I don't think so.
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May 26, 2014 06:40am
Another attempt to involve Pakistan in match-fixing not too long before the world cup to distract the team.
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May 26, 2014 08:35am
Proud of our Cricketers. Just be careful giving statements to the Biased British Media.
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May 26, 2014 11:42am
Umer akmal we are proud to see that a young cricketer like you is becoming a role model for new generation of Pakistani cricketers. All the youngsters and senior players should follow you and Lala!
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May 26, 2014 12:49pm
There should be zero tolerance on corrupt players and should be punished by banning them for life,
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May 27, 2014 01:46am
That probably explains the cyclic spasms of hate against Afridi which we see every few months. Honest people have it harder than it needs to be in our part of the world.
Luckily, Afridi is also very stubborn and don't scare easy. He should have been captain by now.
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May 27, 2014 12:01pm
Mr. Afridi & Mr. Akmal, well done! Next time somebody approaches you for fixing a match, spit on his face and walk away
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May 30, 2014 03:54pm
Interestingly so far there is only one comment from across the border,given how fanatic they are about the game.I hope finally they realize that they are in the midst of the biggest corruption bonanza going on in their own backyard .
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