Yasir Hameed confirms match-fixing

Pakistani batsman Yasir Hameed’s latest outbursts over alleged no-ball match-fixing in Lord's Test has embarrased Pakistan Cricket no end.

In a video released by News of The World, Hameed confirmed the allegations of Match-fixing during last Test match against England at Lord's.

Hameed said that there were cheats in the team and they fixed almost every match.

He revealed the shocking scenario of betting world during the sting operation. However, he denied his involvement in the betting. In another sting operation by The News of the World, Hameed said that he had refused bribes worth 150,000 pounds from a corrupt bookmaker to throw matches and lost his own place in the squad that saw his career damaged as a result.

Despite brilliant cricket, I lost my place in the squad and it is now on the verge of closure. "I wouldn't get involved. That's why I was out of the team for two years - two long years! Now god has punished them. I played in the (Lord's) match. Even though I flopped, these guys have been found out. Just look at my average. It's 38, 39 (runs scored per innings). Which player in the world having such an average is dropped? Had I been playing for any other country, I would had been the team captain," he said.

He accused some of the teammates of owning posh properties, expensive sports cars through betting scam.

He also confessed that his teammates pocketed a whopping amount of 1.8 million pound during a match against Australia this year.

An angry Hameed said that I was delivering my best and they were always trying to lose.

Hameed's revelations come after the British tabloid promised last week that it would come with more news on the spot-fixing scandal involving three Pakistani players, captain Salman Butt, fast bowlers Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Aamer. Hameed said he was offered huge amounts of money -- up to 150,000 pounds.

Hameed had a sensational start to his international career in 2003, scoring 170 runs in his first innings and another 105 in the second, against Bangladesh. In his first 30 One Day Internationals, he scored more runs than any other batsman. Despite that he has bounced in and out of the national team.

"The truth is I've never sold a match for Pakistan. I've always got by legitimate money. I come from a middle-class hard-working family," he said.

"The 150,000 pounds (paid to Majeed) was just (a deposit) to show what would happen on this ball, what would happen on the other ball. In the future, imagine how much money they would have made. Imagine how many pounds they would have made!" he said.

"He (Majeed) pays the players whatever the rate is. I think they get 20,000 pounds or 25,000 pounds for no balls. God knows what was the deal, I didn't ask."

Hameed asked how Asif had been able to amass a big property portfolio.

"I'm having a house built and it's stopped halfway. I'm building it from legitimate money and work has stopped. Asif - how many matches has he played and how many have I played? I've played 80 matches and he's played around 50. He has four mansions. Where did they come from? He has just built a house in Italian style in Lahore. You go there and you will think you are in Italy - that's how good his house is," Hameed said.

On skipper Butt, Hameed said: "He's a nice guy basically. I don't know why he's gone like this because of money."

Hameed also pointed out that the 2004 ICC Champion Trophy semi-final at the Rose Bowl in Southampton between Pakistan and West Indies was also rigged.

The West Indies won the match by seven wickets despite posting just 132 runs. Pakistan capitulated to 131 all out.

After Hameed's revelation, it is expected that ICC will have pressure to act firmly against the tainted players.