UK journalist to give evidence in Pak cricket match fixing trial

 A former News of the World journalist would reportedly give evidence to the trial of two top Pakistan cricketers accused of match-fixing.

Mazher Mahmood, the Sunday tabloid's investigations editor, will describe how a sports agent allegedly took bribes in return for a promise that Pakistan players would bowl deliberate no-balls during the Lord's Test against England last summer, express.co.uk reports. 
                 
The undercover reporter, posing as a rich Indian businessman, had covertly filmed Mazhar Majeed, accepting 150,000 pounds from him and discussing fixing games, Southwark Crown Court heard last week.

Mahmood allegedly recorded the agent boasting that he had seven players in Pakistan's national side rigging matches for him and claiming that the result of a Test match could be fixed for a million pounds.

Prosecutors allege that Majeed, from Croydon in south London had conspired with Pakistan's former Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir to fix parts of the Lord's Test between August 26 and 29 last year.

Butt and Asif, who are standing trial, deny conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.