PakPassion.net has learnt that Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal was approached to underperform at the 2012 Hong Kong Sixes tournament at the Kowloon Cricket Club.

By Saj Sadiq (22nd May, 2014)

Match-fixing allegations continue to rear their ugly head in cricket as today the ECB issued charges against former New Zealand cricketer, Lou Vincent, and former Sussex cricketer, Naveed Arif, under the ECB’s Anti-Corruption Code.

Vincent is charged with a total of 14 offences in relation to two county matches played under the ECB’s jurisdiction in August 2011 - a Twenty20 match between Sussex and Lancashire and a 40 over game between Sussex and Kent.

Naveed Arif who has represented several Pakistani domestic teams including the successful Sialkot Stallions is charged with six offences in relation to the 40 over game between Sussex and Kent in August 2011.

Whilst Vincent and Arif await their fate, PakPassion.net has learnt that Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal was approached to underperform at the 2012 Hong Kong Sixes tournament at the Kowloon Cricket Club.

Remarkably the approach to Akmal to underperform came from a Pakistani based in Hong Kong who had been appointed as the Pakistan cricket team’s liaison officer for the tournament.

Pakistan’s team manager had to return to Pakistan following the death of a relative during the Hong Kong Sixes and with no team manager present the liaison officer thought he would make the most of the opportunity and befriended Umar Akmal and offered him lavish gifts including watches, jewellery and cash in whatever currency the Lahore born batsman wanted, in return for him to underperform and give away his wicket cheaply at every opportunity.

The liaison officer told Akmal that he owned a local company that would look after Akmal very well throughout his cricket career but in return he would have to provide some favours when playing international cricket.

The liaison officer said to Akmal that he would be expected to score heavily in the Hong Kong Sixes tournament and that he could make him a very rich man if he made a series of unexpected low scores. Akmal was also informed by the liaison officer that he could help him own property all around the world if he worked with him.

Akmal reported the approach from the liaison officer right away to team mates and the officer was immediately removed from his role. It’s also understood that the Pakistani team management in Kowloon reported the behaviour of the liaison officer to organisers of the highly popular Hong Kong Sixes.

The tournament in 2012 was eventually won by South Africa after they defeated Pakistan by 37 runs despite Umar Akmal’s 37 from only 11 deliveries. In 2013 the Hong Kong Sixes was cancelled with organisers stating it was decided by the Executive Committee that it would be better to cancel rather than leave the association open to a potentially significant financial loss.

The Hong Kong approach wasn’t the only one where Umar Akmal was the target as during a press conference in Lahore on Thursday PCB Chairman Najam Sethi confirmed that Akmal had reported an approach in UAE during the one day series against England.

PakPassion.net has learnt that 23 year old Akmal, the youngest of the trio of brothers who have all played for Pakistan was inundated with calls from a bookie whilst the team were staying in Dubai during the one day series against England in 2012. Akmal immediately reported the approaches to the team management and the team’s security officer Colonel Waseem and handed over the number of the individual who was calling him to the security officer.

Pakistan’s team management in UAE informed the ACSU and Akmal was interviewed by an ACSU official after reporting the approach in UAE but was never interviewed by ICC’s anti corruption officials when he reported the similar approach in Hong Kong later the same year.

Discuss!