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Rashid Latif, former Pakistan cricket captain and long-time whistleblower, has announced plans to lay bare the full extent of match-fixing controversies that tainted Pakistan cricket in the 1990s.
The ex-wicketkeeper has revealed he’s currently working on a tell-all autobiography, promising that it will leave the cricketing world stunned.
“I can assure you I will reveal everything as it happened and the book will open everyone’s eyes,” Latif told Geo TV.
A Whistleblower’s Journey Begins
This is the first time Latif has spoken publicly about documenting his experiences in a book since retiring in 2004.
Known for his sharp keeping skills and candid nature, Latif was among the earliest voices to raise concerns about corruption in the Pakistan team.
Back in 1994, during a tour of South Africa, Latif and fellow cricketer Basit Ali made headlines by announcing their sudden retirements.
They cited an unhealthy atmosphere in the dressing room as the primary reason. Allegations soon followed.
Latif has now recalled how certain players were accused of throwing matches and how he too was pressured to comply.
He claims he was told to “do as said” — a hint at the deep-rooted manipulation present during those years.
The Scandal That Shook Pakistan Cricket
What followed was one of the most turbulent periods in Pakistan’s cricketing history.
The situation escalated into a full-fledged national scandal, eventually leading to the Justice Qayyum inquiry in 2000.
The inquiry concluded with a lifetime ban on former captain Salim Malik and heavy fines imposed on prominent players like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Mushtaq Ahmed for non-cooperation.
Pacer Ata-ur-Rehman was also handed a life ban for committing perjury during the proceedings.
Yet despite the high-profile crackdown, the battle against corruption in Pakistan cricket was far from over.
A Dark Legacy That Lingers
In the years that followed the inquiry, the specter of match-fixing continued to resurface.
High-profile players such as Danish Kaneria, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir, Sharjeel Khan, and Khalid Latif faced bans or fines for their involvement in various fixing scandals.
Latif’s upcoming book now promises to shed new light on how deep the rot went — and perhaps still goes — within Pakistan’s cricketing circles.
With first-hand accounts and revelations from someone who witnessed it all, the biography could reignite conversations long swept under the carpet.
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