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Pakistan cricket authorities on Saturday 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 submissions 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.
http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/55101/pakistan-bans-two-umpires-over-spot-fixing
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 submissions 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.
http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/55101/pakistan-bans-two-umpires-over-spot-fixing
