Miandad demands capital punishment for match-fixers
but it could have been much better if I had not got out,” Vijay said.
Two of those sweeps, against O’Keefe and Lyon, took Vijay to 70 before he again made room to lift Lyon over mid-off for four. Till then, India looked wellplaced in their aim not to lose a wicket in the morning session. But Vijay had other ideas. Having made O’Keefe look ordinary during his 12-over spell from the pavilion end, he was determined to mete out the same treatment when the left-armer changed ends. Another sweep through midwicket should have settled the issue. Having just stitched a century partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara, Vijay looked focused on getting his hundred. But he missed it in the urgency to dominate O’Keefe with another six and was stumped.
However, he didn’t regret it. “I was not disappointed, actually, because the shot was on. Mid-on, mid-off were inside so I thought it was my shot, but the situation was wrong I guess and the execution was not up to mark. But definitely the shot was on,” said Vijay.
Saying only strong measures can deter players from indulging in match-fixing, former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has suggested death penalty as a punishment for the same.
With Pakistan cricket being rocked by a major spot-fixing scandal during the second season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Miandad said that those found guilty should be made an example out of, in order to deter other players.
“Authorities must take measures to stop this,” he was quoted as saying by
“Why don’t you take strong measures? You should give death penalty to such people. We must not tolerate such things, not at all,” Miandad added.
As least five players, Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Mohammad Irfan, Nasir Jamshed and Shahzaib Hasan, have been named in an investigation into the scandal and currently remain suspended from playing competitive cricket.
Shahid Afridi, who recently retired from international cricket, also called for strong action against guilty players.
“Until an example is set, this issue will continue,” Afridi said.
“When a player knows he will be forgiven and brought back into the national fold after four or five years, there isn’t any fear or deterrence,” he added.
Legendary Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir has said that the spot-fixing scandal that has rocked Pakistan cricket wouldn’t have taken place had former players suspected of being involved in match-fixing been hanged.
Qadir, who was speaking in a TV show, said Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed were the ‘bigger’ culprits in the match-fixing scandal that had hit Pakistan cricket in the late 90s.
“Had you hanged Wasim Akram, Inzamam, Mushtaq Ahmed - there’s an entire list instead of giving them a slap on the wrist, what’s happening now would’ve never happened,” a report in quoted him as saying.
“Ataur Rehman and Salim Malik were made the scapegoats, and even they would’ve escaped if they carried cricketing value or were in their prime. The way of our country is to nab the smaller culprit and let the bigger one go,” Qadir added.
The former player also questioned why the report of Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum on match-fixing hadn’t been enforced.
“All of Wasim, Waqar, Inzamam and Mushtaq either currently work or have previously worked within the PCB. Why weren’t the recommendations of Justice Qayyum’s report enforced?”
Why don’t you take strong measures? You should give death penalty to such people. We must not tolerate such things, not at all... Authorities must take measures to stop this.