Thaindian News

London, Aug 30 (ANI): Cricket agent Mazhar Majeed, who was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers, has been bailed without charge over an alleged betting scam involving the Pakistan national team.

The News of the World claimed that it paid Majeed for advance details of when three no balls would be played in the latest Lord’s Test, which England won.

Police also questioned three Pakistan players over the alleged scam and detectives confiscated mobile phones of Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Pakistan’s captain Salman Butt.

England won the Test at Lord’s by an innings and 225 runs, Pakistan’s heaviest Test defeat so far.

Scotland Yard said Majeed had been bailed to appear before police at a future date.

The NOTW’s report said Amir and Asif had bowled pre-arranged ‘no-balls’ on the opening day of the Test on Thursday, SKY News reports. The paper claims three no-balls were delivered exactly as Majeed described during a secretly filmed meeting on the night before the Test at Lord’s.

Video footage apparently shows the cricket agent counting out 150,000 pounds given to him by investigators posing as businessmen, who allegedly told him they wanted to bet on no-balls.

Pakistan Sports Minister Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani promised life bans for any Pakistan cricketer found guilty of match-fixing.

Majeed’s brother and business partner Azhar Majeed said the claims were “laughable”, adding: “I thought it was just rubbish.”

The Pakistani side has been dogged by match-fixing scandals and allegations of cheating since the 1990s.

In May this year, the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit looked at the team’s poor performance after being heavily beaten by Australia during a tour of the country. (ANI)