AFP/Karachi

Banned Pakistan paceman Mohamed Asif yesterday spoke for the first time to the anti-corruption and vigilance wing of the cricket board as an initial step towards reviving his career.

The 30-year-old was banned for seven years, two of them suspended, after being found guilty of
 spot fixing at Lord’s in 2010 along with then captain Salman Butt and pace partner Mohamed Aamer.

Last week he became the third and last player to confess his part in bowling deliberate no-balls during the England Test in return for money. He also apologised to the fans.

All three players along with their agent Mazhar Majeed were jailed by a British court in 2011.

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman confirmed that Asif had met ant-corruption and vigilance officials.

“Asif has volunteered information sharing and the meeting was in that connection,” the spokesman told AFP.

The International Cricket Council made sharing information about fixing, an apology and rehabilitation mandatory to having their suspended bans dropped when the punishments were imposed in 2011.

Butt has five of his 10 years suspended while Aamer’s five was the minimum that could be imposed.

Asif said he intends to do more sessions on information sharing.

“This was the first session in which information sharing was done and there will be more such sessions,” Asif told reporters outside the Gaddafi stadium in the eastern city of Lahore.

“I have shared whatever information I have.”

The ICC and PCB will decide on players’ rehabilitation only after gauging the level of truth in their statements.

Before the ban, Asif had taken 106 wickets in 23 Tests and was widely regarded as one of the most skilful new-ball bowlers in the game.

 

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