Eight Pakistan Cricketers Who Were Suspended For Corruption Charges

There is no doubt that Pakistan has produced some of the greatest names in world cricket. The likes of Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Javed Miandad, and Mushtaq Ahmed made the Men in Green world-beaters during their playing days. At the same time, the nation also holds the reputation of certain cricketers frequently embroiling into controversies.

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Not only such men get derided by international cricketers but also by their own countrymen. Also, at times, it is incredibly sad to see a few athletes fade away after promising starts. The moratorium put on these players has affected the morale of the rest of the players and their on-field performances. Since 2000, as many as close to ten Pakistani players have faced a ban due to their involvement in corruption.

We take a look at eight cricketers from Pakistan who were suspended for indulging in wrong-doings:

Saleem Malik:

Saleem Malik represented Pakistan in a staggering 103 Tests, and 283 ODIs. Having made his Test debut in 1982, Saleem racked up 5768 runs at an astounding average of 43.67. As a leader, he had a decent record, winning seven Tests out of the 12 Malik captained in.

But the Lahore-born ruined his career by trying to bribe Shane Warne and Mark Waugh to lose the Karachi Test in 1994-95. After winning the match by a wicket, the Australian duo testified in front of the court of law. In 2000, Saleem Malik became the first player to be banned from all cricket.

Ata-Ur-Rehman:

Having made his debut in 1992 at the age of 17, Ata-Ur-Rehman played as a supporting act for Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. Even as Wasim and Waqar continued to shine, Rehman was also the talk of the town. He remained amongst the wickets in England, West Indies, and New Zealand.

The Lahore-born cricketer was said to be an excellent operator with not only the new ball but also the old. Just when it looked like, his career was on the verge of picking up; he got himself involved in match-fixing in 2000. ICC initially banned him for life; however, allowed him to return in May 2007. Overall, the 45-year old played in 13 Tests, and 30 ODIs.

Mohammad Amir:

Mohammad Amir’s admission to spot-fixing came along as the most significant blow to Pakistan cricket. The left-arm pacer announced himself as amongst the best in the nation since Wasim Akram after debuting in 2009. However, in England in Lord’s in 2010, Amir resorted to bowling no-balls deliberately in exchange for money, collaborating with the bookmakers.

The scandal was one of the biggest and the most shameful incidents in the last decade. The fallout included Amir being suspended from all cricket for five years. In 2016, the Punjab-born seamer made a return to international cricket. A year later, he was central to his team’s success in the Champions Trophy. But ever since, the 28-year old has been inconsistent.

Mohammad Asif:

Yet another highly skilful bowler, Mohammad Asif found himself in the middle of a shameful saga. Asif was a top-notch bowler, who could easily move the ball off the pitch and air. England batsman Kevin Pietersen named him as the toughest bowler that he has ever faced. But the seamer could never play a game after that episode.

Along with Amir, his new-ball bowling partner also accepted bribes for deliberately over-stepping. In November 2011, the Punjab-born pacer was given a prison sentence of 12 months. A seven-year suspension followed of which two were reduced. In only 23 Tests, Asif had 106 scalps under his belt at 24.36 with seven five-wicket hauls and a solitary ten-wicket haul.

Salman Butt:

The captain of the ship, Salman Butt’s involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing fiasco further rocked Pakistan cricket. Butt, who became the Test captain after Shahid Afridi, was relied upon to carry the hopes of their fortunes. With an average of 30 in 33 games and three centuries, the southpaw’s career even as a batsman appeared to head on an upper curve.

Upon investigation when realized, he was part of the scandal, Butt suffered a jail sentence for two years and six months. A decade ban was also imposed, of which five stood mitigated. The former red-ball skipper remotely stayed in the frame for a comeback too after his ban period ended.

Danish Kaneria:

Controversies have blotted few cricketers’ careers other than Danish Kaneria’s. The leg-spinner received a life ban from the English Cricket Board (ECB) due to match irregularities while featuring for Essex. In 2018, Kaneria confessed to spot-fixing in a game between Durham and Essex in 2009.

He tried to induce his Essex teammate, Mervyn Westfield to deliberately underperform, thereby bringing the game into disrepute. The 39-year old is Pakistan’s most successful spinner in red-ball cricket in terms of wickets. His 261 scalps in 61 fixtures at 34.8 are the most by a Pakistani spin-bowler.

Sharjeel Khan:

Sharjeel Khan appeared to be heading towards a reasonably successful white-ball career. Muscular and strongly built, Sharjeel boasted of a penchant to put the ball successfully over the ropes. He scored his maiden half-century only in his third match. In the inaugural edition of the Pakistan Super League, the left-handed batsman scored the first hundred, slamming 117 in 62 balls.

Sharjeel triggered the first instance of a Pakistani player, involved in spot-fixing in the PSL. The incident led to a five-year ban. However, in August 2019, Pakistan Cricket Board suspended it following an unconditional apology.

Umar Akmal:

Ever since his debut in 2009, Umar Akmal has sustained endless troubles as far as his career is concerned. But unlike his ancestors or predecessors, the youngest of the Akmal brothers didn’t indulge himself in any fraudulent activities. It was the lack of reporting two different incidents of spot-fixing during PSL that provoked PCB to take harsh action.

As a result, the apex body of Pakistan cricket banned the 29-year old for three years from all cricket. Former Pakistan opening batsman Ramiz Raja proclaimed that the Lahore-born had joined the “list of idiots” and called it a sheer waste of talent. At the start of his career, Umar Akmal displayed fearlessness in the crease, and his wide array of strokes drew superlatives from the former cricketers.

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