Former Pakistan all-rounder and national selector Abdul Razak A twist of fate reveals how the spot-fixing conspiracy in 2010 first came to the attention of the team management during Pakistan’s tour of England. Razak also recounted the experience of being the captain at the time Shahid Afridi bowler Muhammad Amir The young pacer initially denied any involvement in the scandal.Razak told a Pakistani TV show that the repair conspiracy behind the 2010 Lord’s Test spot repair scandal was exposed by his friend who worked part-time repairing mobile phones in London.
“What happened was that Mazhar Majeed came to my friend and asked him to repair a mobile phone. When my friend managed to get the phone working late at night, he discovered several messages between Mazhar and three players detailing plans for an on-site repair during the match,” Razak said.Majeed was later jailed for conspiring with Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Amir to fix set balls during the Tests.According to Razak, his friend immediately showed him the information, prompting him to inform Afridi, the most senior player on the team at the time.Afridi resigned as Test captain before the series started but remained as white-ball captain.“Afridi called Amir, who was just 18 at the time, to his room and asked me to wait outside. I could hear Afridi getting angry and asking him to tell the truth. When he kept denying it, I heard a loud slap and rushed in,” Razak recalled.“Then Amir burst into tears and admitted the plot and all hell broke loose,” he added.Razak said the scandal might not have escalated if the Pakistan Cricket Board and team management had taken quicker action.“Some senior players suggested the team manager to fine the three players and send them home on disciplinary grounds before the ICC intervenes,” he said.Ultimately, Butt, Asif and Amir were banned by the International Cricket Council and subsequently sentenced to jail terms by the Royal Courts of Justice.Butt and Asif never played for Pakistan again, although they were allowed to return to domestic cricket after completing their five-year bans.Aamir returned to international cricket in 2016 due to age and early confessions. He continued to play until the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, although he had earlier retired from international cricket due to self-retirement between 2020 and 2024.
