I was naive, says Pakistan batsman who accused team-mates of match fixing

Controversy: Yasir Hameed said he had only repeated what he read in the newspapers
10 April 2012

The Pakistan batsman who accused team-mates of fixing matches said he had been "naive" and only repeated what he read in the newspapers.

Test player Yasir Hameed said he believed he was speaking to a potential sponsor and the conversation published in yesterday's News of the World was "inaccurately reported".

It was the latest corruption controversy to have engulfed the Pakistan cricket team during its tour of England.

Businessman Mazhar Majeed is accused of accepting £150,000 to arrange for Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer to deliberately bowl no-balls during the fourth Test at Lord's.

Yesterday, a statement was read out on Hameed's behalf by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) legal adviser Tafazzul Rizvi outside the High Commission.

The day after the newspaper published last Sunday's allegations the player said he was approached by a man at the Holiday Inn in Nottingham who introduced himself as Abid Khan and offered to arrange a £50,000 sponsorship deal with Etihad Airways.

Hameed said it was only later that he discovered the man was the News of the World's "fake sheikh" Mazher Mahmood.

"Naturally, I was interested in what he had to say and we began a conversation," he said, adding that he gave him the names of four other players who might be interested in a similar deal.

"Then Abid Khan started asking about the current match fixing allegations and as I saw him as a friend and a potential agent I naively started to answer his questions.

"He asked me about the match fixing allegations and if I had any further knowledge.

"As far as I recall, I only told him whatever I had already read in the newspapers about the matter."

He said two days later the man called him and offered £25,000 to give a statement against the three players under investigation.

"I immediately refused and put the phone down," he said.

"I neither called nor answered any calls from Abid after this conversation."

Hameed said after he denied talking to the News of the World he received an "intimidating" text from the man which read: "Pls call me. Incidentally you are in video drinking wine and saying all the quotes attributed to you. Denying it is just stupid and we will be releasing the video to tv. Better that you just stand up and speak the truth!!!!."

He said he decided not to respond and told the Pakistan Cricket Board about what had happened.

Speaking in Cardiff after Pakistan lost their Twenty20 opener against England yesterday, Afridi described Hameed as an unpredictable character.

He said: "I think he is 30, 31. But mentally he is 15, 16."

Asked whether Hameed can be unreliable, he added: "Yeah, the people know which type of character he is."

Butt, Asif and Aamer have been suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and are the subject of a police investigation. All three deny any wrongdoing.

Majeed has also been arrested and released on bail without charge.

Yesterday the News of the World reported Hameed, who played in the fourth Test at The Oval, as saying: "They've been caught. Only the ones that get caught are branded crooks.

"They were doing it (fixing) in almost every match. God knows what they were up to. Scotland Yard was after them for ages.

"It makes me angry because I'm playing my best and they are trying to lose."

The News of the World also claimed a fourth Pakistan player - unnamed "for legal reasons" - is being investigated by the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit (ACSU).

The world governing body said it was unable to confirm or deny the existence of work being undertaken by the ACSU.

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