Qayyum panel establishes Akram's direct link with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim

Qayyum panel establishes Akram's direct link with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

LONDON, MAY 31: The Pakistan judicial inquiry into betting and match-fixing allegations has established a direct link between notorious underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and several Pakistan players, including Wasim Akram, British media has reported.

The Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum report released earlier this month carries details of a phone conversation between Akram, then skipper, and Dawood Ibrahim -- identified by intelligence sources as the kingpin behind a massive illegal betting syndicate -- during the England-Pakistan match in Sharjah last year.

Former coach Javed Miandad, who was called to depose before the panel on why he quit the job abruptly before the World Cup after guiding the team to victory in Sharjah, said that during Pakistan's second match against England, he got a call from someone -- whom he did not want to name -- who told him the game was fixed and that Shahid Afridi, Moin Khan, Azhar Mahmood, Salim Malik and Inzamam-ul-Haq had taken money to throw the match, the Mail on Sunday has reported.

Miandad told the inquiry that he was so angry he forced Akram to talk to the man immediately. Akram, in his evidence before Qayyum, admitted he did talk to someone called Dawood Ibrahim on the phone and was told the match was fixed.

Miandad asked Akram to make the players take on oath on the Holy Quran, but Akram did not do because it was not available at the ground, the paper reported quoting the Qayyum report.

Miandad has deposed that he was furious at the team during the break as England, who were struggling at 40 for five wickets, had scored 206. He also said before he realised what was happening, five Pakistan batsmen were out and the team was bowled out for 144 runs in the 35th over.

The five players denied any wrong doing and said it was because of Miandad's allegations against them and his ``extremely aggressive behaviour'' that they got upset and could not play properly and lost the match, the Qayyum report has said.

The players also told Qayyum that on two earlier occasions, Miandad had accused the team of match-fixing, once in the Toronto Sahara Cup series and in Mohali, but on both those occasions, Pakistan had won the match, the Qayyum report has said.

England, who had lost their first three matches, thrashed Pakistan in the game by 62 runs. Ironically, Malik top-scored with 47 not out, but Afridi (3), Moin Khan (23), Mehmood (13) and Akram (2) did not contribute the report said.

The Qayyum report has levied (Pakistan) Rs 3 lakh fine on Akram and recommended he should never be made captain in future. The team under Akram was also accused of throwing two matches in the World Cup in England last year, the league game against Bangladesh and the final against Australia.