Accepted match-fixing charges to deceive ICC: Saleem Malik

Former Pakistan cricketer Saleem Malik has revealed that he accepted match-fixing charges inorder to deceive the International Cricket Council (ICC) and consequently get his life ban lifted.

Malik has stated that PCB had asked him to admit to fixing charges, during a meeting with the organisation’s top officials in 2013.

“The statement PCB is talking about is from 2013 and not 2014. I met PCB Chairman Najam Sethi, COO Subhan Ahmed and Legal Counsel Tafazzul Rizvi inorder to get my life ban lifted,” said Malik. “They asked me to sign a letter, where I admitted to match-fixing, to eyewash ICC and pave the path towards my rehabilitation process.”

“Using that letter against me is absolutely ridiculous,” he added.     

Yesterday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had stated that Malik’s response, regarding a sting operation by an English tabloid couple of decades ago and him talking about fixing matches, was irrelevant and unsatisfactory.

“You chose not to respond to the contents of the transcripts of a conversation that took place in April 2000,” the PCB said in a statement. “In the backdrop of the above, the PCB will be unable to proceed any further until such time you respond on the said matter.”

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The PCB further stated that the denial and avoidance to respond to the transcripts doesn’t change the admission Malik made in a May 5, 2014 letter to the then PCB Chairman.

“Sir, after consultations and on my free will, I have reached a decision that I am ready to accept my wrongdoing, apologise to the fans and want to start by rehabilitation process. I fully understand the consequence of my decision and am ready to cooperate to every extent with ICC and PCB for my rehabilitation program. I would request PCB to talk to ICC if required and start my rehabilitation program at the earliest,” the statement added.

The 57-year-old was given a life ban by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as a result of Justice Qayyam's report, in 2000, for match-fixing, which was lifted in 2008 by a Civil Court in Lahore.

Malik scored 5768 runs in 103 Test matches and 7170 runs in 283 ODIs for Pakistan.