Would you like to make this site your homepage? It's fast and easy...
Yes, Please make this my home page!
Rashid
Latif S/o Abdul Latif
(Recorded
on 17th October, 1998)
I have
been playing for Pakistan since '92. In '94, we toured New Zealand. Before
the fifth one-dayer at Christchurch, Salim Malik, who was captain, called
me to his room. I went there and found 3/4 players there. I can't disclose
the names of those players as they are not the main culprits, though as
a matter of fact the entire team is involved in match-fixing and betting
except Asif Mujtaba. I can't say anything about Aamir Sohail whether he
is involved in match-fixing or betting. Malik told me we had to lose the
match as he had struck some deal with somebody about it. I was offered
Rs 10 lakh by Malik. I told him I would think over the matter. There were
also four/five other players and it was obvious that they must have also
been offered money. The next morning, when I took the catch of a batsman
from New Zealand, Malik came to me and reprimanded me and reiterated that
we have to lose the match. During the water break I told Malik I was not
a party to the fixing as I decided during the night not to accept any money.
Ata-ur-Rehman has also deposed about the same match. Pakistan cricket board
in its meeting held on 27.3.1995 had also taken up the matter with regard
to the same match. In my opinion, that match was lost deliberately. The
main two culprits in this behalf are Akram and Salim Malik. In that match,
at one stage, New Zealand was 45 for 3 in reply to 145 runs scored by Pakistan
but the way our bowlers bowled New Zealand won the match by seven wickets
easily. Akram declared himself unfit but what was strange was that he was
holding his shoulders as if in pain even before he bowled the first bowl.
I am of the view that if Akram had bowled to the best of his potential
we would have got out New Zealand easily. Akram left the field after bowling
his first spell and came back to complete it. In my view, he was feigning
injury. In my view, no-balls and wide balls were deliberately bowled by
him. Pakistani bowlers deliberately bowled bouncers.
Two deliveries of Akram were so wide that I could not pick them up, resulting
in two fours of byes. There was an imminent threat of the match being washed
out due to rain which led the bowlers to bowl deliberately in a way that
the scoring rate could be accelerated. In August, 1994, Pakistan toured
Sri Lanka. The morning we were to play a one-dayer Saeed Anwar met me.
He informed me that he was approached by Malik to lose the match and further
that Malik told him not to disclose this information to Rashid Latif. Anwar
asked me for advice. I however told him to act according to his conscience.
However, that match was won by us. During the lunch break, Intikhab Alam
called a meeting of the players and almost abused them by saying that it
was common talk Pakistan was likely to lose the match. In the Singer trophy
in Sri Lanka we lost the match against Australia. In that match Australia
scored 166 runs. At one stage Pakistan was 80 for one but thereafter there
was a sudden batting collapse. In the dressing room, when I was sitting
behind Akram, he received a telephone call and I heard him saying to somebody
that "he did not know". Intikhab admonished Akram as to why he was using
his mobile in the dressing room when he was not allowed to do so. Then
three players had mobile phones, Malik, Akram and Waqar. In Sri Lanka we
were free for 10 days. As there was no match during that period I and Salim
Malik came to Pakistan. I remember that I had arranged for his return visa
to Sri Lanka and I am sure that the flight he took was for Lahore and not
Islamabad. We flew by Aeroflot from Colombo to Karachi and during the flight
his luggage was lost. In his baggage, he was carrying Rs 50,000 Sri Lankan
rupees which he had won by gambling among the players. When we were staying
in Hotel Taj Samudra (Sri Lanka) I saw two bookmakers from Lahore staying
in the adjoining hotel. One of them was Saleem Parvez alias Pejii, the
former opener of National Bank, and the other was known by the name of
Butt. They were moving freely in the rooms of the players... I would not
like to name those players. We shifted from Taj Samudra to Oberoi Hotel.
I disclosed this fact to Arif Abassi when I came to Karachi. He told me
to convey to the members of the team that they should play to the best
of their abilities and not be misled by bookmakers. In the final of the
Australasia cup Intikhab Alam, manager, made a bet of the amount of the
runners-up prize. In my view this was wrong as it amounted to gambling.
I and Saeed Anwar belonged to the same mohalla and used to play for the
same gymkhana and study in the same university. Saeed had very close relations
with me. In South Africa before the second final, I insisted that as it
was a night match and the wicket was bouncy; Kabir Khan should play instead
of Akram Raza. However, Salim Malik and Intikhab Alam without discussing
with me included Akram Raza instead of Kabir Khan. On the contrary, South
Africa did not include any spinner. We had two spinners and one slow-medium
fast bowler in the side. I had advised Malik that we should bat first as
generally in South Africa in a night match it is better to bat first. When
I contacted Intikhab Alam he told me he would prefer the choice of Malik
to mine as he was captain. I had an altercation with Malik and I insisted
that the players must take oath on the holy Quran not to indulge in match-fixing
and betting. There was no holy book available. We, however, took oath in
the name of Allah by holding an amulet in our hand. However, Malik did
not take the oath as at that time he went for the toss and having won the
same, he put South Africa to bat. Hansie Cronje, captain of South Africa,
made a statement that he was quite surprised at being asked to bat first
and this was published in South African newspapers. Having asked South
Africa to bat first Malik came and wanted to take the oath. However, I
said it was no use... now that he had already invited South Africa to bat
first. South Africa scored 269/270 runs and we were all out for only 111/112
runs. I had accused Malik of match-fixing directly because I had earlier
been offered money which I refused. After the match we remained in the
dressing room for quite sometime and Intikhab asked me and Malik to embrace.
At the instance of other team members, I agreed to embrace Malik but he
did not respond positively. I rang up Arif Abassi and told him the entire
situation. He informed that either he himself or Javed Burki would be visiting
South Africa within a week. However, Saleem Altaf came. Having reached
South Africa, Altaf advised me to forget everything and concentrate on
the game. I was advised to play the next match. I did not play in the next
Test. We lost the first match. I do not think that match was fixed. Probably
we had to face defeat because of the low morale of the players. Malik was
under pressure during that match. He later promised that he would not indulge
in match-fixing and was advised by his Pir to apologise to me. This fact
was revealed to me by Anwar. Javed Burki came to Zimbabwe. The impression
I gathered was that the Board was not behind us. We lost the one-day match
In Zimbabwe. During that match there was a fight between Amir Sohail and
Ijaz Ahmed on the ground which was the worst day in the history of the
Pakistani cricket. This match was tied. Due to the circumstances prevailing
in the team I had decided not to play cricket any longer. I and Basit Ali
announced retirement. I produce for the perusal of the Commission copies
of the two reports submitted by Intikhab and also a copy of the letter
addressed by the ceo to Arif Abassi. I also produce copies of cheques issued
in favour of Malik in respect of his account in the uae. These were issued
by Seizure Fernandus and the same were dishonoured. I also produce an audio
cassette containing conversation between Ata-ur-Rehman and Saeed Anwar.
This was recorded by me.
