'Umpires, administrators too fix matches'

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni did not seem surprised at the verdict handed out to Pakistani cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammed Asif, saying worse is bound to happen when you do worse.

- Pakistan trio guilty of spot-fixing

Butt and Asif were found guilty of spot-fixing charges in a London court.The two cricketers are out on bail till the quantum of their punishment is announced.

"It's the worst thing you can do while representing your country. If you you do worse then be ready for worse to happen to you," Dhoni said at an Army function, where he was bestowed the honorary rank of Lt Colonel.

"This is the time to cleanse the game. It's fantastic that this was a criminal case.

"People have to be made accountable. It is an opportunity for the ICC, Pakistan Cricket Board, Indian Cricket Board and to all others to put an end to this menace.

"It's the game which suffers in the end," Arun said.

Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi accused umpires and administrators of the game of involving in match-fixing.

"It's not only players that fix matches - sometimes there are umpires too in connivance with administrators. Again..these reports are buried," Modi wrote on his Twitter page.

A 12-member jury found Butt, 27, guilty of conspiracy to accept corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat, while Asif, 28, was convicted of charge of conspiracy to cheat in one of the biggest scandals that rocked cricket last year.

"It is worst form of corruption. It makes everything else look pale.

"People remotely assisting - match/Spot Fixing or People Preventing the information from coming out are equally to blame for this menace," Modi tweeted.

He advocated severe punishments for those found guilty in fixing matches.

"Persons involved in fixing should be completely banned from participating any kind of professional sport.

"Cricket authorities must have a zero tolerance for spot-fixing. Problem is that quantum of betting has jumped - with no checks and reporting."

Former Pakistan captain Rameez Raja said it is a sad day for Pakistan cricket.

"It's an unfortunate scenario. The TV channels and society back home were projecting these cricketers as heroes and I am happy the way they have been proved rogue and taken to the cleaners in this court judgement," Raja said.

Asked if it will spoil the image of Pakistan cricket, Raja did not agree.

"I think its image cleaner more than anything else. This team has done well after the spot-fixing scam hit them last year. They will have to put this behind them and do something substantial. "It will help Pakistan cricket move forward even though it is a sad day for Pakistan cricket and world cricket overall," he added.  

Meanwhile, former PCB Khalid Mehmood said the "verdict is the best example for the world of cricket because, in the past, cricketers who were corrupt would get away with what they did and be spared; they were never caught."

Dismayed by the conviction of Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, Pakistan's former great Zaheer Abbas feels the two players got what they deserved for their actions.

"I am sad about what has happened because it involves sportsmen, but at the same time I think justice has been done because if you do something wrong you pay the price," former captain Zaheer Abbas said.

Abbas said he was not expecting the jury to reach a unanimous verdict so soon but was now more concerned about the quantum of punishment the players will face from the Southwark Crown Court in London.

"I just feel sad for Pakistan cricket as well because cricketers are not supposed to be associated with crime and corruption. But I think in a way it is good for Pakistan and world cricket because it should serve as a deterrent to others," he said.