Thaindian News

London, Aug 30 (ANI): Pakistani cricketers, who are allegedly involved in match fixing scandal, fear for their lives amid warnings that militants have put a price on their heads, according to security experts.

Reacting angrily to the match-fixing allegations, fans greeted the Pakistan cricket team with boos, jeers and pelted the team bus with rotten tomatoes as they used the stadium’s back gate after crashing to a humiliating defeat by England.

Cricket agent Mazhar Majeed was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers 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.

Security experts say the team could be the target of a backlash from fans after match-fixing allegations, and fear the boos and cheers the squad got in London yesterday is nothing compared to what could be in store for them in Pakistan, where their lives could be on the line, the Daily Star reports.

One security expert warned: “There are worries it’s not going to be safe for the team to go back. Millions of people here have been looking to them for relief from the devastating floods. People were weeping with joy when they won the last Test. But that has disappeared now and the happiness has turned to anger.”

Security around the team was beefed up yesterday after allegations that players in the team would throw a match for a fee. (ANI)