Former national team fast bowler Mohammad Asif, who was convicted of spot-fixing, has openly expressed his views on fixing and his punishment for the first time.
A video is circulating on social media in which Mohammad Asif is seen conversing with senior journalist Aftab Iqbal. The former fast bowler was sentenced in 2010 for spot-fixing. He stated, "I made a huge mistake. Perhaps I hurt someone's feelings or disobeyed, and Allah punished me through this incident. I am grateful that I was punished in this world."
Captain Salman Butt was also banned for deliberately bowling a no-ball in the Test match against England at Lord’s in 2010. The International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Tribunal banned Salman Butt for 10 years, Mohammad Asif for 7 years, and Mohammad Amir for 5 years.
The anchor mentioned to Mohammad Asif that he fixed the issue by bowling just two no-balls, not to lose the match. Asif responded, "Whatever it was, it ruined my career. I could have advanced further because some good batsmen of that time said it was a relief that Asif was banned."
Mohammad Asif said, "I have asked Allah and the nation for forgiveness, but some hard-hearted people are still not willing to forgive me."
Commenting on the T20 World Cup 2024, he said, "The pitches made for it were favorable for bowlers, and it was very difficult for batsmen to play on them. However, those batsmen succeeded who played with patience and spent more time on the pitch."
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In response to a question, Mohammad Asif said, "Other countries did not complain about the pitches; only we did. Regarding the Pakistan team, their coach was appointed shortly before the World Cup, while in India, hard work had been ongoing for a long time, and they knew which players would play."
He added, "If India had put the same effort into their B team that they did with their main team, they would have won the tournament as well."