Nasir Jamshed's wife warns cricketers of 'corruption' in heartfelt letter after husband jailed

LONDON: Convicted Pakistani cricketer Nasir Jamshed’s wife, Dr Samara Afzal, has penned a heartfelt letter on the pain her family was going through and advised other players not be lured into "corruption" after her husband was jailed on Friday for match-fixing.

Minutes after a Manchester Crown Court judge handed Jamshed a 17-month jail sentence for involvement in fixing a Feb 2018 Pakistan Super League (PSL) match in Dubai, Dr Samara Afzal wrote: “Today is the most difficult day of my life as Nasir starts his custodial sentence & I figure out what to tell my 4 year old.

"I’ve felt the need to write this in the hope that others learn from Nasir’s mistakes & no one goes through the pain we have suffered in the last 3 years,” she added.

Dr Samara, from Walsall, describes herself on her social media platforms as a full time doctor, part-time cricketer, and cricket coach. The couple met for the first time through their shared love of cricket.

She wrote: “Nasir could have a bright future had he worked hard and been committed to the sport that gave him so much but he took a short cut and lost everything: his career, status, respect and freedom. He would have got UK nationality and played country cricket and he threw his chance away.

"He would do anything to turn the clock back and not lose everything, especially his daughter who he’s very close to but it’s too late for him. I hope all cricketers look at his example as a deterrent against corruption,” she added.

She wrote she was aware that there are too many financial expectations from families in Pakistan but nothing justifies corruption.

"An international cricket can probably earn more than I as a doctor can so I can’ understand the need to partake in corruption. I know in Pakistan one person is expected to provide for a dozen others but that doesn’t justify corruption. Praying for your country is a privilege and not an entitlement which as we have seen can be taken at any time.

"I hope and pray no other cricketer gets lured into to this temptation for money and no family has to bear the pain and humiliation we have endured and continue to do so.”

Jamshed was arrested with Yousef Anwar and Mohammed Ijaz last February in a National Crime Agency (NCA) probe. He had encouraged other players to fix a PSL game back in February 2018 by getting batters to avoid scoring runs from certain balls in return for a share of £30,000.

Anwar and Ijaz were jailed for 40 and 30 months, respectively.