LAHORE: Banned fast bowler Mohammad Aamir and England-based players' agent Mazhar Majeed have reportedly admitted to their involvement in the spot-fixing incident in last year's Lord's Test before a court in England on Friday.
However, the two other accused — then captain Salman Butt and medium-fast bowler Mohammad Asif — have stuck to their earlier stand that they are innocent and never signed any fixing deal with Majeed, sources told .According to Online news agency and television channels, it was unclear whether Aamir and Majeed had changed their earlier statements under any pressure or done it in order to become approvers in the case.
Soon after the nasty scandal was exposed by British tabloid 'News of the World' during Pakistan's fourth Test against England at Lord's in August last year, Aamir was advised by some quarters to become an approver so as to get some relief on the punishment decreed by the ICC.
However, Aamir never heeded the advice since he felt his life could be in danger if he opted to become an approver.
The sources said that Aamir's confession had surprised everyone present in the court since the young fast bowler had stuck to his original statement during the previous four hearings.
Sources close to Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif said the two players were of the opinion that Aamir's somersault on Friday could earn him a similar fate met by former fast bowler Ata-ur-Rehman during the Justice Qayyum inquiry into match-fixing in 1999-2000. Ata, who changed his statement on more than one occasions, was dished out a life ban besides being charged with perjury by the court.
An ICC tribunal had imposed a ban on Butt, Asif and Aamir for 10, seven and five years, respectively, from all levels of international and domestic cricket on Feb 5 this year.
The spot-fixing inquiry is being handled by the Scotland Yard, which had filed the case before a court in England after completing its investigation.
Many former and current cricketers expressed sympathy with Aamir and were of the opinion that the talented pacer must be granted some concession for his 'first' offence. Even ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat expressed his regret over Aamir's punishment and said he was sorry to see the scandal cutting a brilliant career short as the Gujranwala-born bowler was hailed as the most outstanding young player to have burst on the world cricket scene over the past decade.
