Former national skipper Khaled Mashud denied the allegation of introducing Mohammad Ashraful to the bookies but observed something sinister in the
Bangladesh Premier League while working as the coach of Duronto Rajshahi.
‘It is totally baseless,’ Mashud told a news conference in Dhaka. ‘Due to cricket we have toured many countries and have been introduced to a lot of people. I cannot remember everybody.’
‘Even through liaison, we were introduced to a lot of people with whom we didn’t have any connection later. It is unfortunate if someone misuses those relationships later,’ he said.
It was reported that Mashud, along with former national skipper Khaled Mahmud and left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique introduced Ashraful to an Indian bookie called Javed during a one-day international against India in 2004.
Ashraful accepted the offer of the bookie to make sure Bangladesh scored 60 runs in the first 15 overs and received Tk 4.5 lakh in return, according to the report published in a leading Bengali daily.
‘To be honest, we were not in a position to score 60 runs in 15 overs, more so against India in 2004. You must compare the difference of strength,’ he said.
‘And if we needed to fix those matches we would have required to do it with the openers, but Ash [Ashraful] was playing at number four,’ he added.
‘I don’t know on what ground he [Ashraful] said this but if he has any proof ask him to produce that. I know Mahmud and Rafique and they were never willing to give up matches,’ added the former skipper.
Mashud said that it seems Ashraful was trapped to do match-fixing in the Bangladesh Premier League in order to receive his wages but could not realise it would jeopardise his career.
It was reported that Ashraful confessed to the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit to have played fixed matches at the instruction of Gladiators owner Salim Chowdhury and his son Shihab Chowdhury.
‘I think Ashraful was trapped,’ he said. ‘Maybe the Gladiators owners asked him to lose the match in order to get the payment for his services,’ said Mashud. ‘Being young he thought that at least he would get his wages but he did not understand the overall implication.’
‘I know he is intelligent. He did not think it as match-fixing. Perhaps he believed that he can get his wages by doing this. I think the ACSU managed to provide certain evidence that forced him to speak about BPL,’ he added.
Mashud admitted he was also questioned during the BPL by ACSU as part of their duty as several matches came under the scanner due to their dubious nature.
‘I have spoken to ACSU during the BPL but I am not willing to disclose as it was confidential.’
‘Because ACSU was talking regarding the BPL, may be our name came up with an intention of diverting the attention,’ said Mashud in a furious tone.
However, the Duronto Rajshahi coach was not convinced that the BPL has remained out of this sordid saga.
‘As far as I am concerned my players were clean in the BPL. But overall, in my observation, it was not clean though I cannot produce any evidence or proof,’ said Mashud.
‘For instance there is an event management company, Game On, which does not have an address. We could have done much better,’ he said.
‘Certainly the BPL has damaged our reputation. There were lots of foreign players who were not paid on time and that damaged our reputation in the cricket community,’ he added.
Mashud added he was honest during the BPL players’ auction where he could have earned a handsome amount.
‘At the auction there was a chance of earning money by promoting a player which is a common practice in other countries where a player pays 15 per cent of his wages to his agent,’ said Mashud.
‘It is legal abroad but restricted in Bangladesh. If I could resist that temptation then why would I go for match-fixing? No player can claim we have done this,’ he added.
-With New Age input
