Azhar claims ‘maverick’ cricketer behind fixing trap

LONDON: Azhar Majeed, the elder brother of convicted sports agent Mazhar Majeed, suspects that a senior Pakistani cricketer, who helped News of The World reporter Mazhar Mahmood, wove an elaborate plot to snare the Pakistani trio.
Mazhar Majeed, who orchestrated the spot fixing, took £150,000 from the undercover reporter to spot-fix last year’s Lords Test between Pakistan and England, has been handed a 32 months prison this week for his crime.
Three Pakistani players, former captain Salman Butt, and fast bowlers Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Amir, were also sentenced for 30 months, 12 months and six months, respectively, for their role in the plot.
Speaking exclusively for the first time to any Pakistani media more than a year after the scandal rocked the cricket world, Azhar, did not name the player he blamed for the scandal, but said he was a “maverick” cricketer, who is “Pakistani cricket’s biggest Wikileak”.”I don’t want to stoop to his level. He has been trying to make his career out of this scandal. He is motivated by greed, self-promotion and he lies,” said Azhar.
Azhar told ‘The News’ how he acted as agent of that player and the reasons why they drifted apart after developing differences over an advertising campaign.
“I brought this contract for him and he signed it without reading the terms. It was a one-off payment for three years’ contract but he believed he will be paid every year. He turned against me over this,” he said.
Azhar insisted that he was never approached by anyone for gambling. “Mazhar Mahmood spent nearly six months on my brother and I admit he succeeded. No denying that my brother agreed to the conspiracy and committed this crime.”
He said the life for Mazhar Majeed’s family had been a nightmare since the scandal broke out in August last year. “We had planned to have dinner with Pakistani players that night and my sons were with me too. When I saw the news on television channels, I felt sick. We have been under siege since then. As a family we have been through hell. Lies have been told about us.”
He said the family were devastated but added that the relatives in the UK and in Faisalabad, from where they originally come, stand behind Mazhar.