“Fixing by Pak trio just the tip of the iceberg” in cricket corruption: Zulqarnain Haider

ISLAMABAD - Runaway Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has expressed his surprise over ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat’s statement that the World Cup 2011 will be free from corruption, saying that the illegal activities of the tainted Pakistani trio were “just the tip of the iceberg” of the malpractice in the sport.

“Yes I was surprised by the statement by the ICC Chief Executive saying that the World Cup will be clean. The fact of the matter is that the three recently banned players (Asif, Amir and Butt) are just the tip of the iceberg,” PakPassion.net quoted Haider, as saying.

“There are bigger names than the three banned players who are still involved in fixing in cricket, not only from Pakistan but from other nations as well. There are some very big names involved in these illegal activities, but they are getting away with it as thorough investigations are not being carried out,” he added.

He did not share the same optimism that some have felt after the Anti-Corruption Tribunal’s hearing into the spot-fixing case, saying: “The Doha hearing was just the beginning, there is a lot more work to be done to clean up cricket but the relevant authorities need to do more before this goal can be achieved.”

Haider pointed out that Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were only caught because of a tip-off, and that the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit had not done much in this regard.

“It was simply down to an individual tipping off the News of the World who then passed their files to the ICC. The ACSU were reactive rather than proactive and have limited powers and is a weak organisation,” he added.

Haider warned that cricketers were “going to be even more careful now and I know they are watching their backs and attempting to make it even more difficult for the ACSU and ICC to catch them out. I am ready to name and shame them, if asked by the relevant authorities.”

The now retired wicketkeeper had stunned one and all by fleeing the team hotel in Dubai hours before the final one-day international against South Africa last year. After fleeing to London, he had claimed that he had got death threats from a person who wanted him to fix matches, and subsequently sought asylum in the UK.

Haider, who is presently awaiting clarification from UK immigration officials about his asylum application, feels vindicated in his stance after the outcome of the Doha hearing.

“I gave up everything in cricket. I had a promising career ahead of me and I sacrificed it all, but I don’t have any regrets and my mission now is to clean up the game. I am prepared to do anything to help in totally cleaning up cricket. I was mocked and ridiculed by some after leaving the series in UAE against South Africa, but after the verdicts in Doha, I feel vindicated.

However, this is just the start. The net has to be widened and it has to be widened across other countries in addition to Pakistan,” he said. (ANI)