Asif determined to fix ‘legal errors’

LONDON: Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Asif has said he was “surprised” when he was found guilty by the jury at Southwark Crown Court after the spot fixing trial in November last year.
In an interview with Geo News after his release from Canterbury Prison in Kent on Thursday, the former world number two Test fast bowler expressed his joy at being free again and not being deported to Pakistan, vowing that he was determined to clear his name and be back in the field again. “I couldn’t believe that I was found guilty by the jury,” said the ace cricketer who vehemently denies any part in the spot-fixing that rocked the world of cricket.
Accompanied by Ravi Sukul of Balham Chambers, who is dealing with Asif’s criminal conviction appeal in the UK, and Savita Sukul of SJS Solicitors, who argued successfully against Asif’s deportation to Pakistan, Asif said that his legal team would look into any “legal errors” in his case and would attempt to redress them.
Asif said he would not speak about any matter which would prejudice his upcoming appeals and would prefer his legal team to deal with such matters. “I am hopeful that I will come out of the problem that I found myself in unwittingly.”
At the Southwark Crown Court, former Test captain Salman Butt, 27, was jailed for two and a half years for his role as the “orchestrator” of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the 2010 Lord’s Test against England; Mohammad Amir, 19, who had been tipped to become one of the all-time great fast bowlers, was given six-month sentence.
Mazhar Majeed, 36, the London-based sports agent at the heart of the fixing scandal, was jailed for two years and eight months.
Asif said he served the sentence by keeping himself busy in the gym and by regularly playing football and badminton.
He continues to plead that he had nothing to do with the spot-fixing scam and he found himself caught with the fellow players only by association.
“Thanks to Almighty Allah, I am out from the prison. I am really happy, I have seen very hard time,” said the bowler.
He thanked his fans and well-wishers for standing by him. “I am so happy I have fans who are still supporting me in this way, through social media. I am in touch with them. They wanted to see me on the ground playing again.”
Looking relaxed and fit, Asif described how difficult in the beginning it was at the prison, which is reserved for foreign national criminals, who are normally deported soon after the completion of their sentencing.
The ace cricketer didn’t play much cricket in the prison because there were few facilities but concentrated on staying fit by playing badminton and football. “These six months were difficult. Canterbury has a lot of foreign national prisoners but it has lots of gym and supporting facilities. We got ourselves busy and the time passed. We played football and badminton and used gym regularly. I trained regularly and I am in good shape now. The staff in the Canterbury were very supportive.”
Asif thanked his family for supporting him and having faith in him, especially his father Hassan Deen, who has defiantly defended his son, and his loyal wife. “My family has been brilliant. No other family can defend the way they did it. My father has provided crucial support to me at a very difficult time. They took charge of a very difficult situation and all is fine. When in prison, I remained in touch with my family and my legal team.”
Answering a question on how he plans to regain his once glorious skill, Asif remarked: “A fish will never forget how to swim. A bowler doesn’t forget how to bowl well. I have maintained fitness and I will try my best to keep up with this level of fitness. I am thankful to all those who have prayed for me. I would like to be back in the ground playing and I hope my fans will soon see me back. I would like my fans and well-wishers to continue praying for me,” said Asif.