LONDON : Timeline of the spot-fixing case against Pakistan cricketers
Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif and agent Mazhar Majeed:2010 August 29 The News of the World newspaper says it paid 150,000 pounds (230,000
dollars) to agent Mazhar Majeed in return for details about the timing
of three no-balls in Pakistan's fourth Test against England at Lord's.
The report says Pakistan bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif
delivered blatant no-balls at the exact points in the match agreed with
the alleged fixer.The bowlers and Test captain Salman Butt are interviewed by Scotland Yard detectives.-
News of the World publishes photograph of Majeed counting wads of
banknotes given to him by a reporter posing as a front man for a betting
syndicate August 31 Butt, Amir and Asif
summoned to meet the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ijaz Butt,
and the Pakistan high commissioner, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, in London
September 2Salman Butt, Amir and Asif dropped from the two Twenty20 matches against England.
The three vow to clear their names, according to Hasan, who adds they are pulling out due to the "mental torture" of the scandal. International Cricket Council (ICC) charges Butt, Amir and Asif with various offences under its anti-corruption code. All three provisionally suspended.
September 3
Ronnie Flanagan, chairman of the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, tells reporters: "There is a really arguable case to answer".
September 4
Pakistan one-day captain Shahid Afridi apologises for the row, saying: "On behalf of these boys -- I know they are not in this series -- I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."
September 5
News of the World releases footage of Pakistan Test player Yasir Hameed in which he claims team-mates were doing it (fixing) in every match".
September 17
Police pass "spot-fixing" file to the Crown Prosecution Service, England's state prosecutors.
November 4
Pakistan suspends the contracts of Butt, Asif and Amir.
December 13
Butt denies the allegations, saying: "I have not done anything such as this in all my life or cricketing career".
2011
January 11
After six days of evidence, a three-man independent anti-corruption tribunal, meeting in Qatar, delays announcement of its findings until February 5.
February 4
British prosecutors charge Butt, Amir, Asif and Majeed with conspiracy to cheat at gambling and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.
February 5
ICC bans Butt for 10 years, with five suspended, Asif for seven years with two suspended and Amir for five years straight after being found guilty of corruption.
September 9
Amir pleads guilty to British police charges against him at a pre-trial hearing.
October 5
Trial of Butt and Asif begins at Southwark Crown Court in London. The pair plead not guilty. Prosecutors say the case "reveals a depressing tale of rampant corruption at the heart of international cricket".
October 17
Butt takes the stand, telling the court he ignored requests by Majeed to fix matches. "I was absolutely not interested in what he was talking about," he said.
October 27
Jury sent out to consider their verdicts.
November 1
Butt and Asif found guilty by unanimous verdict of conspiracy to cheat at gambling and by majority verdict on conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.
November 2
It can be reported for the first time that Majeed pleaded guilty to his involvement in the scam in September after the judge lifts reporting restrictions on his admissions to conspiracy to cheat and obtain and accept corrupt payments.
November 3
Butt is sentenced to 30 months in jail, Asif to a year and Amir to six months. Majeed is jailed for two years and eight months. They are to serve half their sentences in prison before being released on licence.
