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The Justice Quayyum Report

Having carefully examined the evidence produced before the Commission and the submissions of the learned counsels, it is observed that there is a division of opinion between players and persons who are or have been officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Mr. Khalid Mahmood, ex-Chairman PCB, Mr. Arif Abbasi, former Chief Executive PCB and Mr. Zafar Altaf, former Member Ad-hoc Committee and most of the current players have maintained that allegations of match-fixing have no substance whatsoever. Mr. Majid Khan, ex-Chief Executive PCB, Mr. Javed Burki, former Captain Imran Khan and Javed Miandad, Mr. Intikhab Alam, Coach, Mr. Haroon Rashid, Mr. Rashid Latif, Mr. Aamir Sohail, and Mr. Aaqib Javed have stated that match-fixing has been taking place. On the latter side, there are also the allegations of the Australians.

In light of the evidence brought on record, as far as the majority of the players, particularly the younger ones are concerned, there is little or no evidence against them. However, the cases of Salim Malik, Mushtaq Ahmad, and Wasim Akram primarily are on a different footing. Other players have also been brought in either by their own reluctance to speak before this commission or by sub-allegations. Waqar Younus, Basit Ali, Saeed Anwar, Akram Raza, Ijaz Ahmad and Inzamam-ul-Haq are among these. Each is dealt with individually below:

SALIM MALIK

Salim Malik was made the captain of Pakistan in 1993-94 and had been playing for Pakistan since 1981. He is the cricketer most accused of match-fixing.

ALLEGATION ONE: NEW ZEALAND TOUR AND CHRISTCHURCH MATCHES

His first tour as captain was to New Zealand in 1993-94. The third Test in Christchurch and the fifth One-day International at Christchurch have been mentioned as matches that were fixed by him, along with other people, for Pakistan to lose.

As regards the last test match, Intikhab Alam, Saeed Anwar and Fareshteh Gati-Aslam have opined that that test match was fixed. New Zealand were set 314/315 to win in the last inning against a strong Pakistan attack which they managed. The coach of that tour was Intikhab Alam. In his statement Intikhab says that he has doubts about how New Zealand, which had been losing till then, suddenly recovered to score a big total like 316 to win the Christchurch Test. Pakistan had won the first two Tests by margins of 5 wickets and by an innings and 12 runs. (In fact the target had been 324.)

Moreover, regarding the 5th One-day Match at Christchurch, Rashid Latif has deposed that before the match, Salim Malik, the Captain of the Pakistan team, made a phone call to him and called him to his room. There, according to Rashid Latif, Malik offered him Rs 10 lacs for playing badly the following day, because, he said, the team had to lose as he, Malik, had struck a deal with some bookies. Further Latif deposed there were four other players present in the room, namely Waqar Younus, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Akram Raza and Basit Ali. Three of the four have denied this; Basit Ali was not available for comment on this particular allegation. Basit had however stated earlier that he has never been involved in match-fixing.

According to Rashid Latif, on the day of the match when Rashid took a catch of the opener Bryan Young off Waqar Younis, Malik reprimanded him and reiterated that 'we have to lose the match'. In Rashid's opinion this match was lost deliberately and the two main culprits were Wasim Akram and Salim Malik. (It might be mentioned this is the same match which Ata ur Rehman says Wasim Akram had fixed with Ijaz Ahmed and Zafar Ali Jojo in Pakistan.). After looking at the video of this match it has been noticed that wides and no balls were given away freely by the bowlers as has been pointed out by Rashid Latif. Rashid also noticed that the bowling of Ata-ur-Rehman and others at crucial stages was not according to the field placing set by captain Salim Malik. (The detailed scorecard has been appended)

(Ata-ur-Rehman, in his first statement, had said that Wasim Akram had paid him Rs. One Lac to bowl badly in the same match and that Wasim had told Ata that the said match had been fixed by Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmad.)

ALLEGATION TWO: SINGER CUP IN SRI LANKA.

From New Zealand the Pakistan team's next tour was to Sri Lanka in 1994-95. Malik was retained as captain and Pakistan won the Test series as well as the One-day series against Sri Lanka. After a 15 day gap Pakistan participated in the Singer Trophy in which India, Sri Lanka and Australia also took part.

During this break Malik made a trip to Pakistan. Malik has stated that he came back because his son was ill. The management reports that Malik stated he had a wedding to attend. Rashid Latif has alleged that Malik came back to Pakistan to make a deal with bookies. Moreover, Malik has stated that he went to Islamabad while Rashid Latif stated that Malik did in fact come to Lahore. Rashid says he knows so, as he helped arrange the seats and, when Malik lost his luggage, to deal with that matter too.

Saleem Pervez, in his statement says he paid Salim Malik (along with Mushtaq Ahmed) a sum of US$100,000 to drop the Pakistan v Australia game, the second game of the Singer Trophy. He was also cross-examined at great lengths by Salim Malik's Counsel and he came out with further details regarding one Mr. Aftab Butt, a bookie travelling with him. He also stated that they stayed at the 'Taj' and also at the 'Oberoi' in Sri Lanka and that they had met Mushtaq Ahmad three days or so prior to their departure at Shalimar Hotel, Lahore, where the deal was struck. There were however some material inconsistencies in Saleem Pervez' statements as regards who carried the money and where the deal was struck according to Malik's counsel.

Rashid Latif said that Saeed Anwar had informed him that Salim Malik had asked Anwar to play badly in Sri Lanka. He had also told him not to disclose the existence of the offer to Rashid Latif. Saeed Anwar has denied this.

Saeed Anwar got 46 off 78 balls hitting 5 fours and one six. This was a low scoring game and Pakistan needed just 179 for victory. Anwar retired hurt after message(s) from the Captain were taken in by the 12th man and resumed at number 6. (The scorecard reads: Saeed Anwar retired hurt on 43* from 80/2 to 124/5 (cramp, resumed with a runner.))

Manager Intikhab Alam says that after that match, when the team went to the hotel, he received a call from a caller who did not divulge his name but stated that he had lost Rs 40 lacs and that four to five players had sold themselves. He called Malik, Waqar Younis and Basit Ali to his room. While Malik and Waqar denied match-fixing, Basit said he had been involved.

Basit had scored 0 off 13 balls and had no contribution as a fielder either.

Intikhab also said that Asif Iqbal had informed him that the bookies had lost 40 lacs and wanted to recover that amount. He said he thought Asif may have spoken to Malik and subsequently Malik and Intikhab had a discussion about this matter.

(Incidentally, this is the same match that Mark Waugh and Shane Warne have admitted to accepting money from an Indian bookie, 'John', to give weather and pitch information.)

Aftab Butt has been sought for corroboration, but until now his attendance despite the Commission's best efforts, has not been possible.

ALLEGATION THREE: THE HOME SERIES AGAINST AUSTRALIA

After the Sri Lanka tour the Pakistan team played in a home series against Australia in Autumn 1994.

Shane Warne has deposed that on the Pakistan tour in September, 1994, he was called by Malik to his room in the hotel and was offered US$ 200,000 to throw away the first Karachi Test by getting another bowler, Tim May to bowl badly with him. He told Malik to get lost. Warne then went back to the room and told May of the incident. May's response to Malik's offer was the same.

For the Rawalpindi One-day Match, Mark Waugh has stated that at a Presidential function he was offered a bribe to arrange with four or five other players to throw the match for US $200,000. At that time Shane Warne was standing next to Waugh, within earshot. Shane Warne has confirmed that towards the end of October, 1994 at the Presidential function, he heard Salim Malik offering bribe to Mark Waugh for the One Day match at Rawalpindi.

Both of the above incidents were reported the players to Mark Taylor, their Captain who informed the Australian officials on tour with them, Bob Simpson, the Coach and Colin Egar, the manager. (Mark Taylor confirmed this when he appeared before the Commission in Lahore in 1998.)

In February, 1995, they were asked to make a short summary of the incident. Then in Antigua, West Indies, on the 9th of April 1995, Warne and Waugh made statutory declarations detailing the above. These affidavits after some time were passed by the ICC to the Pakistan Cricket Board, and thereafter this Commission. This was after the news of the allegations broke in an Australian newspaper, after Rashid Latif had first made his allegations public.

Mark Waugh on the tour of Pakistan in 1998 made a personal appearance before the Commission of Inquiry with his Captain, Mark Taylor in Lahore and repeated the same allegation. Taylor and Waugh were also cross-examined.

However, later the news broke that Mark Waugh and Shane Warne themselves had earlier on the tour of Sri Lanka been involved with a bookie, John. This had not been disclosed to the Commission and seemed to affect the Australians' credibility. Therefore, on the request of the ACB, representatives of the Commission went to Australia to cross-examine Warne and Waugh. Details of the cross-examination have been noted above.

Briefly, it was confirmed by Warne and Waugh that their dealings with John had been only for weather and pitch information. Mr. Michael Shatin QC added in court that Mr. Salim Malik had never confronted Mark Waugh or Shane Warne regarding these allegations, although they had met several times after the incident. Why not, if Malik was not guilty?

ALLEGATION FOUR: THE SOUTH AFRICA TOUR

After the Australia tour in 1994-95, Pakistan's next assignment was to South Africa for the Mandela Trophy involving New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. They won five of the six qualifying round games and entered the final against South Africa. Both matches were lost under controversial circumstances.

There was an open dispute within the team about the decision of the toss. Since the matches were day/night games and the lights in Johannesburg were not conducive to batting second, Rashid Latif the vice-captain had strongly recommended that if Malik won the toss Pakistan should bat first. Both times Malik won the toss and put the opposition in and Pakistan lost two finals matches. In cricketing terms the toss in a day/night game is crucial as it is easier to bat first in natural daylight than under the shadows of floodlights. Even Wisden notes that Malik made "the puzzling decision to field first". It was also puzzling why having batted first and lost in the 1st final, Malik repeated the mistake two days later in the second match as well.

Basit Ali says that as suspicion was rife that the matches were fixed, Intikhab asked every player to take an oath on the amulet that they would play the match honestly. Malik said he would inspect the ground and then take the oath. Before he came back into the dressing room he went for the toss, elected to put South Africa in to bat and then asked to take the oath by which time it was too late. (South African captain Hansie Cronje made a statement that he was quite surprised to be asked to bat first. Pakistan again lost that match.)

It was after this tour that Rashid Latif says he announced his retirement because the main reason was that team members were indulging in match-fixing.

Salim Malik had figures of 4-0-22-0 (over 5 runs an over) and was run out for 19 runs after staying at the wicket for 26 balls.

As earlier stated even Wisden says that after Malik "made the puzzling decision to field first.' It further notes that 'From 193 for 4 they had lost their last six wickets for 22 including three run outs.'

To sum up: First Malik was run out for 19 off 26. Then Aamir Sohail, who had scored 71 from 74 balls, was run out when batting with Ijaz Ahmed. Finally Rashid Latif (17 off 31 balls) was run out when batting with Wasim Akram who scored 12 runs off 26 balls.

In the second final, two days later Malik again made a controversial decision to let South Africa bat first. Wisden says: "Again, Salim Malik asked South Africa to bat, creating divisions in Pakistan's dressing room."

ALLEGATION FIVE: GENERAL ALLEGATIONS

Copies of Cheques for Salim Malik were handed in by Rashid Latif, drawn by one Caesar Fernanades in favor of Salim Malik.

Aaqib Javed in his statement said that Salim Malik along with Wasim Akram was one of the main players involved in match-fixing.

Pakistan captain Imran Khan said that the first time he heard of match-fixing was in a domestic game which involved Habib Bank. The captain was Salim Malik.

Javed Miandad said that the domestic game Imran spoke about involved five Habib Bank players namely Salim Malik, Ijaz Ahmed, Nadeem Ghouri, Akram Raza and Naveed Anjum.

Continued...