England's win over Pakistan in third ODI being investigated for corruption unit after suspicious betting patterns emerge

By Ed Hawkins For The Daily Mail

Published: 09:29 EST, 20 November 2015 | Updated: 04:29 EST, 21 November 2015

England's victory over Pakistan in the third one-day international in Sharjah last Tuesday is being investigated for corruption.

Following an erratic performance by Pakistan it is understood that investigators from the ICC's anti-corruption unit have requested data from international betting markets about irregular betting patterns.

England won the match by six wickets after Pakistan collapsed from 132 for two to 208 all out, including three farcical run-outs. They then dropped three catches in the field and missed a stumping.

England captain Eoin Morgan (right) shakes hands with his Pakistani counterpart Azhar Ali before the match

England captain Eoin Morgan (right) shakes hands with his Pakistani counterpart Azhar Ali before the match

England batsmen Jos Buttler (right) and James Taylor leave the field after guiding their team to victory

England batsmen Jos Buttler (right) and James Taylor leave the field after guiding their team to victory

Officials were tipped off after the toss in Sharjah that the illegal Indian betting market, worth billions of dollars per game, was expecting Pakistan to underperform.

It has also emerged that officers were warned about potential corruption before the series began.

Rumours were rife among bookmakers in the country, and the ICC received intelligence that there could at least be an attempt to manipulate the betting odds in favour of syndicates who would be betting huge sums.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan used his Twitter account to question Pakistan's performance.

THE PAKISTAN COLLAPSE IN TUESDAY'S ODI

19.3 overs Pakistan captain Azhar Ali is run out after a dreadful call for a single from Mohammad Hafeez, who had pushed Adil Rashid to backward point. Azhar was comfortably beaten home by James Taylor's return.

30.3 overs Sarfraz Ahmed throws his wicket away, slogging Moeen Ali straight to sub fielder Chris Jordan at deep midwicket. It's the start of a collapse of 7 for 73.

32.2 overs Mohammad Rizwan pushes Ali into the leg side, then sets off for a gentle single while Shoaib Malik remains unmoved at the other end. Rizwan gets halfway down the pitch, and fails to get back before Jason Roy's underarm throw is collected by Jos Buttler.

35.4 overs Iftikhar Ahmed pulls Chris Woakes straight to deep square-leg and is caught to leave Pakistan 145 for 6.

39.3 overs Anwar Ali slogs Reece Topley straight up in the air. Ali takes the catch: 156 for 7.

41.2 overs The third run-out of the innings. This time, Wahab Riaz and Shoaib Malik get in a muddle – with Malik beaten by Chris Jordan's pinpoint direct hit. 

Azhar Ali (right) is run out well short of his ground after a terrible call from Mohammad Hafeez

Azhar Ali (right) is run out well short of his ground after a terrible call from Mohammad Hafeez

Mohammad Rizwan watches the ball as he jogs for a run before being sent back by Shoaib Malik and run out

Mohammad Rizwan watches the ball as he jogs for a run before being sent back by Shoaib Malik and run out

This time Malik is run out after another farcical mix-up between Pakistani batsmen

This time Malik is run out after another farcical mix-up between Pakistani batsmen

2010 SPOT-FIXING SCANDAL

The now-defunct News of the World exposed the scandal by recording Mazhar Majeed accepting money on the promise that Pakistan fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir would deliberately bowl no-balls at specific points of the fourth Test against England at Lord's in August 2010.

After analysing footage of the match, Scotland Yard arrested Majeed on the charge of match fixing and the ICC banned Asif, Amir and Pakistan captain Salman Butt for between seven, five and 10 years respectively.

In November 2011, all four were found guilty of conspiracy to cheat at gambling and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments at Southwark Crown Court. Butt was jailed for 30 months, Asif for 12, Amir for six and Majeed for 32.

None of those involved 2010 were playing the current match and Pakistan have not been implicated in matches where suspicions were raised since then.

He wrote: '3 run outs and a few iffy shots from Pakistan. Never seen that before!!' He followed that with: 'They must all think we are stupid.'

Vaughan, who later deleted the tweets, was criticised by ex-Pakistan batsman Rameez Raja. 'Vaughan's comments are highly irresponsible and I think he is just looking for cheap publicity to stay relevant on social media,' Raja said.

'Pakistan's running has always been bad and we all know Mohammad Hafeez particularly isn't great between the wickets. The team tends to panic whenever it's under pressure and it is nothing new.'

An Anti-Corruption and Security Unit source said: 'After comments like that we couldn't ignore it but we also had other reasons to look into it.'

The chief reason is suspicious betting patterns — one of the key signposts for fixing. The ICC have been told that twice the 'normal' amount of money was wagered on Pakistan to lose in a game which attracted more than £20million in bets on Betfair, the international betting exchange.

The day before the Sharjah match, England were rated as strong favourites to win. Seasoned odds watchers would argue that was an extremely rare event for any England one-day team in Asia, where they traditionally struggle.

Pakistan were what betting experts would call 'virtually friendless' (no-one wanted to bet on them) on Betfair, which Indian bookmakers often use to help manage their accounts.

The ICC are known to have asked for help from betting experts in analysing the unusual data. The governing body has a memorandum of understanding about sharing information in relation to fixing.

The ICC are likely to focus their efforts on finding out whether an orchestrated spot-fix took place, the new breed of corruption which is almost impossible to prove.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan posted these tweets during the match before later removing them

Former England captain Michael Vaughan posted these tweets during the match before later removing them

This reply to a tweet from Vaughan on the matter remains on his Twitter account

This reply to a tweet from Vaughan on the matter remains on his Twitter account

Corruptors with prior knowledge of a batting collapse can make huge sums of money by just a small change in odds.

The scam works in exactly the same way as insider trading on the stock market with fixers profiting from a sudden shift.

Pakistan were favourites to win in Sharjah when they were only two wickets down but the clatter of wickets which followed produced what is known as a 'flip flop' when the betting odds are reversed in dramatic and rapid fashion.

Claims of fixing in Sharjah are a grim reminder of one of cricket's grubbiest eras. In the 1990s it is now widely accepted that a plethora of ODI matches in the United Arab Emirates were tainted.

Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said on Friday night: 'I am aware of these allegations. We may have lost [in Sharjah on Tuesday] but we lost fair and square. I'm satisfied my players have done nothing wrong, and that there is nothing in these allegations.'

Captain Azhar, who was run out, leaves the field after his dismissal in Sharjah earlier this week

Captain Azhar, who was run out, leaves the field after his dismissal in Sharjah earlier this week

Pakistani batsman Mohammad Rizwan walks back to the pavilion after he was farcically run out
Rizwan was farcically run out

Pakistani batsman Rizwan walks back to the pavilion after he was farcically run out

Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.