Justin Joseph
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Pakistani cricket team encircled with match fixing blames
By Jamil Bhatti
ISLAMABAD, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's national cricket team was once again encircled with the allegation of match fixing after they lost an easy match against the hosts in the Sri Lankan city of Dambulla on Tuesday.
The fresh match fixing controversy allegations started after Pakistani team let Sri Lanka snatch an easy victory from them in the opening cricket match of Asia Cup 2010.
Pakistan's bowling squad troubled Sri Lankan batting line up with 168 runs for 7 wickets in 37 overs. Pakistan was in good position to all out the Sri Lankan less than 200 runs but sloppy fielding and loose bowling enabled Sri Lankan tail enders to set up a fighting score of 242 runs.
In response, Pakistan, chasing the target, faced early losses when its four top order batsmen lost their wickets at only 32 runs. After that team could not stand firm and was all out at 226 runs even with Captain Shahid Khan Afridi's excellent batting with 109 runs off only 76 balls.
Media and critics, besides the poor performance in the ground, are also discussing the television footage of the match showing batsman Mohammad Aamer talking on the mobile phone in the dressing room just moments before his arrival in the ground.
Aamer cost 57 runs in his 10 overs and made just five runs from the 14 balls he played in the match.
Strict guidelines by the International Cricket Council, to avoid any match fixing, prohibit the usage of phones by players or support staff during the match duration but Aamir clearly violated the rules.
Critics also criticized Kamran Akmal, Wicket keeper batsman who first missed an easy chance to stump a Sri Lankan batsman and then ran out himself during batting when team needed him to stay at the crease.
"It was not less than a suicide," said Usman Khan, a cricket analyst.
Pakistan cricket team has been facing controversies over match fixing especially after their tour to Australia in January 2010 where they were defeated by the Aussies in all 11 matches.
Officials of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refused to comment on the defeat and following controversy of match fixing.
Pakistan national cricket team player Mohammad Wasim rejected entire allegations saying that it is not possible and the team is united and thirsty for victory.
"This is foreign media propaganda against the team to bring players' morale down in the start of the tournament," Wasim told Xinhua.
Common Pakistanis are gloomy at the defeat but are not ready to accept such blames on the team.
"They played well but the wicket was much dusty and slow, its true our bowling slumped in the end but no one stood with captain to achieve the chase able target," said Tariq Hameed, a cricket spectator in Islamabad.
Pakistani cricket team encircled with match fixing blames
By Jamil Bhatti
ISLAMABAD, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's national cricket team was once again encircled with the allegation of match fixing after they lost an easy match against the hosts in the Sri Lankan city of Dambulla on Tuesday.
The fresh match fixing controversy allegations started after Pakistani team let Sri Lanka snatch an easy victory from them in the opening cricket match of Asia Cup 2010.
Pakistan's bowling squad troubled Sri Lankan batting line up with 168 runs for 7 wickets in 37 overs. Pakistan was in good position to all out the Sri Lankan less than 200 runs but sloppy fielding and loose bowling enabled Sri Lankan tail enders to set up a fighting score of 242 runs.
In response, Pakistan, chasing the target, faced early losses when its four top order batsmen lost their wickets at only 32 runs. After that team could not stand firm and was all out at 226 runs even with Captain Shahid Khan Afridi's excellent batting with 109 runs off only 76 balls.
Media and critics, besides the poor performance in the ground, are also discussing the television footage of the match showing batsman Mohammad Aamer talking on the mobile phone in the dressing room just moments before his arrival in the ground.
Aamer cost 57 runs in his 10 overs and made just five runs from the 14 balls he played in the match.
Strict guidelines by the International Cricket Council, to avoid any match fixing, prohibit the usage of phones by players or support staff during the match duration but Aamir clearly violated the rules.
Critics also criticized Kamran Akmal, Wicket keeper batsman who first missed an easy chance to stump a Sri Lankan batsman and then ran out himself during batting when team needed him to stay at the crease.
"It was not less than a suicide," said Usman Khan, a cricket analyst.
Pakistan cricket team has been facing controversies over match fixing especially after their tour to Australia in January 2010 where they were defeated by the Aussies in all 11 matches.
Officials of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refused to comment on the defeat and following controversy of match fixing.
Pakistan national cricket team player Mohammad Wasim rejected entire allegations saying that it is not possible and the team is united and thirsty for victory.
"This is foreign media propaganda against the team to bring players' morale down in the start of the tournament," Wasim told Xinhua.
Common Pakistanis are gloomy at the defeat but are not ready to accept such blames on the team.
"They played well but the wicket was much dusty and slow, its true our bowling slumped in the end but no one stood with captain to achieve the chase able target," said Tariq Hameed, a cricket spectator in Islamabad.
Pakistani cricket team encircled with match fixing blames
