Former international cricketer Nasir Jamshed jailed for T20 spot-fixing

Following investigations by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), former Pakistan international cricketer Nasir Jamshed has been sentenced to 17 months in prison after implementing spot-fixing practices in a variety of T20 tournaments in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

In a statement issued by the NCA on Friday, it was revealed that Jamshed alongside British nationals Yousef Anwar and Mohammed Ijaz admitted conspiring to spot-fix multiple Bangladesh Premier League games in 2016.

As opposed to match-fixing, spot-fixing refers to illegal activities in a sport that is unrelated to the final result, however, could be bet on. An obvious example in cricket could be how many no-balls a cricketer will throw in a match.

The NCA detailed in a statement: “Using an undercover officer, NCA investigators identified that the group were plotting to fix elements of the 2016 Bangladesh Premier League T20 tournament which Jamshed was due to play in.”

The test batsmen joins a growing list of cricketers who have been jailed due to spot-fixing. Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were handed prison sentences in Britain in 2011 for plotting to hinder their performances during 2010’a test match against England.

The cricketer had already been banned from competitive play for 10 years in 2018 after being a major participant in 2017’s well documented Pakistan Super League spot-fixing scandal. 

Judge Richard Mansell QC, during the sentencing at the Manchester Crown Court, added: “By far the most insidious consequence of these offences is the undermining of public confidence in the integrity of the sporting contest, not simply in the individual match directly affected but in the game of cricket generally.

“Corruption of this kind has sadly been taking place in the game of cricket for a very long time.”

Following Jamshed’s convictions, Anwar was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison, whilst Ijaz was issued with a 30-month sentence. 

Jamshed’s wife Dr Samara Afza, wrote via Twitter: “Today is the most difficult day of my life. I’ve felt the need to write this in the hope that others learn from Nasir’s mistakes.

“Nasir could have had a bright future, had he worked hard and been committed to the sport than gave him so much, but he took a shortcut and lost everything, his career, status, respect and freedom,

“He would have got UK nationality and played county cricket, and he threw his chance away. He would do anything to turn the clock back and not lose everything. I hope all cricketers look at his example as a deterrent against corruption.”