The game is rigged

Posted By Andrew Swift Monday, August 30, 2010 - 10:39 AM Share

Pakistan's had a rough spell of late.

Catastrophic flooding that has inundated and devastated an entire fifth of the country? Yep. Rampant gun battles in its largest and most vital city, Karachi? Yeah, that too. A never-ending insurgency along the country's border with Afghanistan? Definitely. A politically inept and hopelessly out of touch government? Of course.

Now come revelations that Pakistani cricketeers are guilty of fixing the results in return for money during their recent match with England. To be fair, the British tabloid News of the World broke the story -- but the evidence sure seems compelling. Pakistan's national cricket side has been thrown into crisis, with talk of an international suspension in the cards. Cricket legend and former Pakistani MP Imran Khan has called for the accused to be banned for life if the charges are true.

The News claimed that undercover reporters taped an exchange with London businessman Mazhar Majeed in which the fixer accepted around $230,000 in return for Pakistan's side bowling three no-balls* at specific times. Majeed fingered Pakistani skipper Salman Butt, bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal as being in on the conspiracy, and further bragged that he runs a massive underground betting organization which has netted its customers -- and crooked cricketeers -- "masses and masses" of money. Majeed has since been arrested by British police, and bailed without charge -- though he is due to appear before police at a later date.

Pakistanis are understandably furious at the scam, but this is hardly the first time that Pakistan's found itself in the cricket world's darkside. It's hard to imagine a worse possible time for this latest scandal.

Seriously, leave Pakistan alone!

*The penalty for no-balls -- an illegal delivery by a bowler -- is one run awarded to the batting team. An additional ball must also be bowled, and the ways in which a batter can be ruled out are reduced.

IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images

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OKAY_KAY

5:45 PM ET

August 30, 2010

Is this related to foreign policy?

I don't think so, clearly. Three reasons:

(1) Cricket diplomacy is tested and proved to be ineffective in the subcontinent - repeatedly;
(2) Whatz match-fixing got to do with Pak foreign policy? South Africa and India have been consumed similarly on cricket match-fixing. So, how on earth is it different now? How is it tied to current Af-Pak, Al-Qaeda, security, terrorism, diplomacy?
(3) You are taking internet "experts" (= zero presence at the ground level) too seriously, which makes this blog post unintelligent!!!

I appreciate all the web links in above story. Thanks. But, it is meaningless; and what are you trying to say/argue?.

Bless all,
K

AHSON HASAN

8:31 PM ET

August 30, 2010

Signs of times, a reflection of the nation...

No offensive to anyone and no pun intended, the Pakistani cricket team is a reflection of the Pakistani nation as a whole.

I'm not trying to stereotype the people of Pakistan but this aggressive greed and incredible lust to make the most in the shortest possible time is pretty much ingrained in the Pakistani psyche.

Nothing seems to have worked out for Pakistan in the recent years - the infrastructure is pathetically outdated; Islam is as rigid as hell - unable to show any flexibility or compatibility with changing times; the country is a bundle of contradictions - there's absurd and abject poverty on the one hand and riches and glory on the other; bureaucrats are as ‘vulturous’ as leeches who can never stop sucking blood; politicians are as rotten as daylight robbers and killers. In a word, Pakistanis are eating away Pakistan and it seems as if they are accomplishing their nefarious objects!

The entire nation seems to be under a spell of criminalization. Pakistan is a horrific tribal culture where expecting anything to be done in a fair and just manner is nothing less than making a fool of oneself. People have a made a mockery of that country – whenever, whoever gets a chance will rip the system apart and run away with their spoils. That's the story of Pakistan - its people are opportunists serving their baseless, shallow, and meaningless interests that have created a disordered and a challenged monster that refuses to tame itself.

Amidst all this stink and rot, who can blame these crooks and criminals of the cricket mafia? They are exactly a portrayal of the how Pakistan is and what it has come to be. These Butts, Akmals, etc. are supposed to be Pakistan's ambassador's of goodwill. Their incessant desire to ‘enrich’ themselves has tarnished the already tainted image of a country that perhaps stands cornered and embarrassed in the comity of nations. They are just a bunch of puppies with no educational backgrounds or strength of character to back them up.

Pakistanis probably do not realize the sensitivity of the issues that are paralyzing the nation. I hear voices and read high-sounding slogans that don’t mean anything. The will to critically analyze the nation’s remarkable downslide is terribly missing in action.

Nations usually have good days and not-so-good days. It appears that Pakistan hasn’t had a good day for ages now. Pakistanis seem to be doomed, at least for now. It’ll take guts (and not guns), courage and lots of stamina from those who still dare to think, ponder and are willing to re-write its history to rescue Pakistan.

ARYABHAT

3:51 AM ET

August 31, 2010

An entire nation living in negative identity

This article seems to be askign us to show pity and leave Pakistan alone for its misfortunes.

Flood is misfortune. Poor response to it, no coordination between state and centre, Army competing for better image v/s civilian govt, record of siphoning off the donated funds to Talibans, are all man made malaise.

An innocent civilian getting shot is misfortune. Hobnobing with Taliban to have "Strategic depth" in Afghnistan is a policy failure - a political blindness.

Even South Africa and India had instances of cricket corruption. However, they put an end to it and sacked such players.

Pakistan on the other hand worshipps players like Shaid Afridi who tried to bite a ball in full glare of TV Cameras!

That culture of "winning by hook or crook, mostly by crook" is a man made culture of Pakistan. That culture gave birth to instances like this £150000 spot-fixing scandal.

Pakistan can't be wished away. It can not be forgiven either. Surely not as it has floods or riots in Karachi.

Pakistan can only be reformed! And punishment for illegal activities like such scandal is the only way forward!

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