Share

Asif due for release

Karachi - Pakistan's former paceman Mohammad Asif is expected to be released from a British prison on May 5 after completing half of his one-year sentence for spot-fixing during the 2010 Lord's Test against England, a friend and cricket coach said Tuesday.

"Asif is due to be released on May 5 and he was in high spirits when I visited him last month," Mohammad Haroon said from London.

The 29-year-old Asif, along with team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Aamer, was sentenced in London last November for contriving deliberate no-balls for cash during the August 2010 Test.

Aamer was released in February after three months in jail. Butt, Test captain at that time, was jailed for 30 months.

Mazhar Majeed, the agent for three players who was accused of striking the deal, was jailed for 32 months.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) also banned the three players for a minimum of five years.

Haroon said Asif was appealing against both punishments.

"Asif has already appealed against the 12-month sentence and he will also appeal against the ICC ban," said Haroon.

All three players have the right to appeal against the ICC ban in the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sports.

Aamer, who pleaded guilty in the London court, last month appeared in an ICC video to warn future players against fixing. Like Aamer, Asif was also considered as one of the fastest rising paceman at the international level.

Before his ban, Asif had taken 106 wickets in 23 Tests. He also had 46 wickets in 36 one-day internationals.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE