Rashid Latif Reveals Explosive Truths About Match-Fixing in 90s Era Pakistan Cricket.
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper and captain Rashid Latif has made eye-opening disclosures regarding the dark underbelly of cricket in the 1990s, revealing that match-fixing plagued the sport not only in Pakistan but across the globe during that time.
Speaking on ‘Geo News’ podcast, Latif shared that he is currently working on a tell-all book that will expose the intricate web of corruption, naming those involved and detailing how the manipulation of matches was orchestrated.
Latif emphasized that cricket politics and under-the-table dealings were rampant in the 90s. He claimed that internal power struggles — particularly related to team captaincy — were one of the root causes of instability. He pointed to controversial changes in leadership, referencing legends like Imran Khan and Javed Miandad, who were both ousted under dubious circumstances. He also drew parallels with recent decisions, such as the removal of Sarfaraz Ahmed and Babar Azam from the captaincy.
Latif stated that the game’s integrity was severely compromised, not just due to internal rifts but due to the widespread prevalence of fixing. “There were matches fixed in Karachi’s Defense area, the Lahore Test, and in Rawalpindi in 1993 — and we even found solid evidence,” he claimed.
He further explained that the intensity of the politics and unethical behavior from that era would be intolerable for today’s generation of cricketers. While discussing the global scale of corruption, he noted that although Indian players were also implicated, strict accountability measures helped India rid itself of the menace — something Pakistan failed to replicate.
When asked whether such malpractice still exists today, Latif clarified that while traditional match-fixing may have dwindled post-2002-2003, it evolved into *spot-fixing* — manipulation of specific moments in a match — which tends to occur in domestic or smaller leagues rather than at the top-tier international level.
He also praised wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan for playing a pivotal role in resisting such influences, stating, “Rizwan raised his voice when it mattered most — that’s why he faces so much pressure today.”
Latif stopped short of revealing all, saying that many more revelations will be included in his forthcoming book.