Osama bin Laden's Connection to Spot Fixing; And why Lorgat Would Say Pietersen Knows?

Even as diplomatic relations are presently on a knife edge in the wake of the US killing Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil, there was a time when Osama bin Laden was also linked with Pakistan's spot fixing scandal at Lord's. Here is why the ICC ignored those suggestions.

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Shortly following the news of spot fixing by certain Pakistan cricketers during the Pakistan v England Test match at Lord's, amongst the many rumours doing the rounds was also, of the match fixing rearing its head as a way of spreading malice into all fields of society. And the credit for that was also supposedly attributed to Osama bin Laden, the 9/11 mastermind who was recently shot and killed by the US Navy Seals in a covert operation.

On the tape released by Al Jazeera after the scandal broke out, the man perpetrating to be the same slain terrorist alleged that Britain had been dealt a blow for continuing their support for America's imperialist policies and also, for supporting Israel. There were even words of high praise for the two Pakistan fast bowlers - Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer - in the centre of the storm.

However, even as the ICC tried to decipher the truth from amongst the rumours, this particular incident was discredited in a humourous way by the ICC chief executive, Haroon Lorgat. Lorgat, at the time, dismissed the tape and the message in the knowledge that this was a sidetrack distraction, and even joked that the man portraying Osama could have actually been Kevin Pietersen.

It was not known at the time when KP had to say on the issue but it was one of the conspiracy theories that was quickly denounced which is why perhaps many parts of the cricket world are not even aware of it. Just one of the many stories that have been given a second lease of life following the death of the terrorist mastermind.

One thing that Laden has done even in his passing away is draw away some of the TRP ratings from the IPL 4 to the news channels that have been relentless in their reporting, making IPL 4 season harder after last weekend competition with the royal wedding.