Asif Iqbal admits knowing bookie Steel

Dubai, November 5 : Former Pakistani skipper Asif Iqbal has vehemently denied his involvement in match-fixing or betting even as he admitt...

Dubai, November 5 : Former Pakistani skipper Asif Iqbal has vehemently denied his involvement in match-fixing or betting even as he admitted that he knew Mumbai-based bookie Anil Steel, with whom, the CBI says, he had close links.

Reacting to the CBI report on match-fixing and betting in which his name also figures, Asif, the co-ordinator of the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) at Sharjah told Khaleej Times from his London residence that “yes, I know Anil and I was friendly with him but it does not mean that I am involved in any kind of match-fixing or anything.”

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He said, “this is true that Anil used to ask me my opinion on a particular match or things related to cricket and I used to give him my opinions but there was nothing like match-fixing involved in our discussions.”Asif went on to say, “see, I am a retired cricketer and commentator. Nothing can stop me from expressing my opinions on a cricket match. I am not a serving player and I cannot influence the game in any respect.”

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The 162-page report, released recently by the premier Indian investigative agency, has sent shock waves in the cricket world by naming five Indian and seven foreign players for their involvement in match-fixing.

A chapter on foreign players in the report said Mumbai-based bookie Anil Steel claimed to have close links with Asif. Anil Steel, the bookie from Mumbai has stated that he is on very friendly terms with Asif Iqbal, the former Pakistani captain. He has also stated that he has sought `information’ from Asif Iqbal about international matches and has also given him `gifts’ or jewellery items etc.

The report said, “Anil Steel has disclosed that he introduced MK (alleged bookmaker Mukesh Gupta, the central character in the CBI report), to Asif Iqbal during the World Cup inaugural ceremony at Calcutta in 1996. MK has stated that Asif Iqbal had introduced him to Jayasuriya at Sharjah, sometime in 1996.”

Asif said, “I don’t think the CBI report is going to harm cricket in any way. I think it will benefit the game once and for all and will help in bringing back the fast-fading integrity of the sport.”

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He said, “there are some retired players who work as consultant to legal bookmakers in England. I don’t think there is any law to stop it.”The former Pakistani skipper also refused to subscribe to the view that the CBI report would restrict the off-shore cricket around the world. “If you look into the report, the majority of the matches suspected to be fixed were played in regular Test-playing countries and there is no mention of Sharjah in this report.”

Asked what the CBFS would do if any of its future beneficiaries was implicated in the match-fixing scandal, he said, “it is up to the respective boards to find out the whole truth behind the allegations. As far as the CBFS is concerned, we have nothing to do with the list of beneficiaries as the players are nominated by the boards in consultation with the CBFS.”

He conlcuded, “let me take this opportunity to say that the CBI has done a great job in preparing this report and now it is up to respective boards to rise to the occasion and take some solid steps.”