Former Pakistan cricketer Nasir Jamshed has apologised for his involvement in the match-fixing scandal, saying that his time in prison was extremely difficult and that he had suicidal thoughts.
Jamshed advised young cricketers to immediately report any corrupt approaches to the relevant authorities, warning that such actions can negatively impact not only their careers but also their families.
He revealed that his father’s accident, which resulted in a brain haemorrhage, along with financial difficulties at home, pushed him toward taking a shortcut. Jamshed said his lawyer had advised him not to plead guilty and to cut off contact with the cricket board. However, he believes that had he admitted his mistake earlier, he might have been able to save his career.
He also appealed to the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board to waive the final year of his ban. Jamshed shared that he frequently had suicidal thoughts, but thinking about his daughter and family gave him the strength to carry on.
It is worth noting that Manchester Crown Court sentenced Nasir Jamshed to 17 months in prison for spot-fixing, while the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Anti-Corruption Unit imposed a 10-year ban on him from playing cricket following an investigation. He was arrested in 2017 after an inquiry by the UK’s National Crime Agency.
