Low pay leads to fixing, blames Shoaib Akhtar

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said on Friday the cricketers are being tempted into fixing matches because they are underpaid by their board.

"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," Akhtar, 37, told the Headlines Today news channel.

"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."

"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)," said Akhtar. (AFP)