Spot-fixing convict Asif due for release on May 5a
Pakistan's former paceman Mohammad Asif is expected to be released
from a British prison on May 5 after completing half 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 told AFP from London.
The 29-year-old Asif, along with teammates 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.
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.
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