Former Pakistan batsman was caught on camera during Qatar-based new agency's investigation
27 May, 2018
PHOTO: PCB
Hasan Raza, who is the youngest cricketer to ever play a Test match, has landed in hot waters after a video confirmed his involvement in an alleged spot-fixing sting operation.
Raza was caught on camera along with former Indian cricketer Robin Morris during Al Jazeera’s spot-fixing sting operation.
The duo were previously members of the same team — Mumbai Champs — in the discontinued Indian Cricket League during 2007-08.
Raza was filmed sitting next to Morris, despite taking no active part in the conversation, with the latter discussing details about how to fix T20 matches.
"We can help each other out. I have the information. I will give it to you. And you can bet good money, big time," said Morris.
He added: “For example in Twenty20 they have a session of ten overs. So in ten overs, they [bookmakers] say 70,71 or 72 runs. So, accordingly, we do betting and, for example, one of our friends is playing there, we tell him to stop it. In 9th or 10th over, don’t score more than seven runs. After ten overs, get out. Pay the player and get the money from the market.”
Responding to a question about how much do the players receive for their part in spot-fixing, Morris said that they are paid quite a lot and on average revolves around $70,000.
“If you have a setup like that, you can make money in the session and still be profitable despite paying a significant amount of money to the players,” said Morris.
Morris also purposes a tournament, with low profile player, whose sole purpose will be to control the results and make money from spot-fixing.
“It’s going to be a mini international tournament but won’t have A-grade players and probably will involve B, C and D grade players,” said Morris.
Morris also discussed the possibility of expanding the tournament beyond Dubai rather than it being just a one-off event.
“We don’t want to start one tournament in Dubai and finish it here. We can take it to Hong Kong, then Zimbabwe and once we succeed here we can move to Sri Lanka because I can sort everything out there,” Morris concluded.
The only time Raza took part in the conversation was when he agreed to be part of such a tournament with a simple ‘Yes’.
Raza did not respond when approached by Al Jazeera on the issue, while Morris said that the news channel invited him to act in a commercial movie for public entertainment and denies any wrongdoing.
Earlier, Al Jazeera had also alleged that the pitch curator in Galle, Sri Lanka, for the Tests against India in 2017 and Australia in 2016 had prepared the surfaces in accordance with the directions from a person involved in betting.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), meanwhile, issues a press release stating that investigations are under way regarding the allegations and that appropriate action will be taken accordingly.
"PCB and its Anti Corruption Unit is in the process of reviewing reports regarding the alleged involvement of cricketer Hasan Raza in Corrupt Conduct. Appropriate action, if any, will be taken after collecting and reviewing all relevant evidence. Till such time no further comments are made," read the PCB statement.
