Former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne has said that the Pakistani players, including captain Salman Butt, should face a life ban if found guilty of being involved in the Lord's Test 'spot-fixing' scandal.
Former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne has said that the Pakistani players, including captain Salman Butt, should face a life ban if found guilty of being involved in the Lord's Test 'spot-fixing' scandal.
"If it is true and they have been found (guilty of) match-fixing and throwing games and spot betting with the no-balls and stuff, if that's the case they should be thrown out," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Warne, as saying.
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"It's as simple as that. I don't think there should be any other way to do it. If it's fixed by players, they should be banned for life. Anyone who's involved should be thrown out," he added.
The 40-year-old further said that he was a TV commentator for January's Sydney Test when Pakistan's bizarre field placings and batting collapse helped Australia score an unlikely come-from-behind victory.
"They are only allegations at the moment so I suppose you have to say innocent until proven guilty," Warne said.
"But looking back at the (Sydney) Test match, if it was fixed, you could understand how it was fixed by the way they were captaining the side and their tactics. It would make sense - if it was true," he added.
The Pakistan team is in the midst of a betting scam, where fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif are alleged to have bowled pre-arranged no-balls in the Lord's Test, which England won by an innings and 225 runs.
According to The News of the World, London-based agent Mazhar Majeed is the alleged man behind the 150,000-pound betting scam.
The tabloid claims that they have footage of Majeed accepting money, and in return, he detailed what would happen and when on the field of play next day.
It also claims that Majeed had identified Butt as the ringleader.
He also named wicket keeper Kamran Akmal, and a total of seven corrupt cricketers.
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