It's a sad day for Pakistan cricket: Former players

Nov 01, 2011 |

Karachi

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Dismayed by the conviction of Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif in the spot-fixing scandal, Pakistan's former players said the London Court's verdict marks a sad day for the game in the country but the two players got what they deserved for their actions.

While some heaped scorn on the banned players for bringing a bad name to Pakistan cricket, others said Pakistan cricket needs to learn lessons from the scandal that shook the core of international cricket last year.

"I am sad about what has happened because it involves sportsmen but at the same time I think justice has been done because if you do something wrong you pay the price," former captain Zaheer Abbas said.

The 12-man jury at the Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday found Butt, 27, guilty of conspiracy to accept corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat, while Asif, 28, was convicted of the charge of conspiracy to cheat.

Abbas said he was not expecting the jury to reach a unanimous verdict so soon but was now more concerned about the quantum of punishment the players will face from the Southwark Crown Court in London.

"I just feel sad for Pakistan cricket as well because cricketers are not supposed to be associated with crime and corruption. But I think in a way it is good for Pakistan and world cricket because it should serve as a deterrent to others," he said.

Pakistan's former captain Rashid Latif felt that while justice had been delivered but he still felt that the two main characters in the whole scandal, Mazhar Mahmood (the News of the World reporter who conducted the sting) and bookie Mazhar Majeed deserved to be punished as well.

"They set the trap for our players which they fell into and for that they have paid the price today. Justice is all characters in this scandal be penalised," he said.

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