As former cricketers are trying these days to clear their position on matching fixing, their fellow pacer Ata-ur-Rehman has come up with his side of the story, explaining why he changed his statement on match fixing 20 years ago.

Ata-ur-Rehman played 13 Test matches and 30 One Day Internationals between 1992 and 1996. He was a right-arm medium fast bowler with a good control of line and length and the ability to move the old ball. He made his ODI debut against West Indies on December 4, 1992 and Test debut against England on June 4, 1992. He played his last ODI against England on ‎August 31, 1996 and last Test against England on August 8, 1996.

Rehman says he had changed his statement on match fixing about two decades ago under legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram’s pressure. He said that Wasim destroyed his cricketing career therefore he would not keep quiet until the truth comes out. He said that Khalid Mehmood was right in saying that Wasim Akram had offered him a role in match fixing.

The former pacer said he now wanted people to know the truth about these people. He said the big names who claimed about exposing match fixing in fact played a leading role in match fixing. He said the affidavit he submitted to the court in the match fixing case was written under Rashid Latif and Amir Sohail’s pressure. He said that Rashid Latif knew that Wasim Akram was involved in match fixing.

Rehman said that match fixers of yesteryears call the Pakistan Super League (PSL) a league of match fixers and then become part of it. He said that these people would record their fellow cricketers’ conversations and then blackmail them on the basis of those conversations. He said these people work for their vested interests, not the country.