Cricket Scandal Rocks International Sport: Top Players Guilty of Plotting to Cheat and Take Bribes

CNN LONDON (CNN) -- Two top international cricket players from Pakistan, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, have been found guilty of plotting to cheat and take bribes in a major match against England last summer. The scandal has rocked the international sport, with the two players potentially facing up to seven years in prison. A third player, Mohammad Amir, pleaded guilty to the same charges.

Key Takeaways:

• Two top Pakistani cricketers, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, were found guilty of plotting to cheat and take bribes in a major match against England.
• The players were accused of spot fixing, which involves deliberately throwing parts of a game rather than the whole match.
• The betting scam, allegedly arranged by Mazhar Majeed, earned him £150,000 (approximately $230,000).
• The players were accused of deliberately bowling "no balls" at specific points in the game.
• Prosecutors used audio and video recordings made secretly by the News of the World to build their case.
• The International Cricket Council suspended the trio for periods between five to seven years.
• The case highlights the corruption in the betting market, with estimations putting its value at between $40 billion to $50 billion dollars per year.

Statistics:

• The betting scam allegedly earned Mazhar Majeed £150,000 (approximately $230,000).
• The players were accused of deliberately bowling "no balls" at specific points in the game.
• The betting market is estimated to be worth between $40 billion to $50 billion dollars per year.
• The players face up to seven years in prison.

Sources:

• CNN: "Pakistan cricketers guilty of plotting to cheat and take bribes"
• The News of the World: (now defunct)
• The International Cricket Council: "Anti-Corruption Unit"
• Metropolitan Police: Detective Chief Superintendent Matthew Horne statement
• News International: Spokeswoman statement