I will reveal everything, my book will open everyone’s eyes: Rashid Latif
Karachi, Apr 20 (PTI) Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has promised to “reveal everything” about the match-fixing scandals that rocked Pakistan and world cricket in the ’90s in his biographical account which he said will open everyone’s eyes.
Latif, a whistleblower in the Pakistan dressing room, said he has already started working on the biography.
“I can assure you I will reveal everything as it happened and the book will open everyone’s eyes,” Latif told Geo TV.
Since retiring in 2004, it is the first time Latif has spoken about releasing his autobiography. Latif, regarded as one of the finest wicketkeepers in Pakistan cricket history, first drew attention to the match fixing corruption scandal in 1994 when he and Basit Ali announced their retirements while touring South Africa. They insisted they couldn’t carry on playing in the given environment of the dressing room.
Latif also talked about how some players were allegedly involved in throwing matches and how he was told to do “as said”.
This led to a long drawn out scandal in Pakistan cricket right up to 2000/2001 when the Justice Qayyum judicial inquiry into the match-fixing allegations recommended a life ban on Salim Malik and fines for others including Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed for not cooperating with the inquiry.
The inquiry also banned pacer Ata-ur-Rehman for life for committing perjury before it.
Even after the Justice Qayyum inquiry released its report, the menace of corruption continued to haunt Pakistan cricket in the years to follow.
Danish Kaneria, Salman Butt, Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Aamir, Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif and some other players were either banned or fined for their roles in spot-fixing scandal. PTI Corr AT AT