Match-fixing involving Pakistani players has become a common sight in cricket nowadays

Former Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar has revealed that match-fixing in the game was on the rise due to players receiving low wages from their respective cricket boards.

Speaking exclusively to the Headlines Today news channel, Akhtar said: “Fixing happens in our culture because there’s less money, there are even lesser opportunities. Cricketers victimised by their boards return (to the team) to mint money.”

Talking about his own experience of having a low salary, Akhtar said: “In 2008, I had no money to even buy a car. I had to borrow money from a friend. I handled it, others go astray, your friends ditch you, (the cricket) board doesn’t back you. They all run you down. So when you return you think ‘let me teach them a lesson’. Some are corrupt, but some cricketers are turned into criminals by the system.”

Akhtar added that most of the match-fixing nowadays involves Pakistan players since they do not earn a lot of money representing their country.

“We (in Pakistan) don’t have much money in cricket. I wasn’t playing for India you know. I was an elite star, still after playing for 14 years I only made seven-eight crore rupees ($1.35-1.54 million),” Akhtar said.