Shane Warne recalls Salim Malik offering AUD 276,000 bribe to bowl poorly in 1994 Karachi Test

Warne said Malik offered the bribe to him and Tim May to bowl badly in Karachi Test.

Australia’s legendary spinner Shane Warne’s career was as colorful and controversial off the field, as it was on the field. Losing sponsorship due to smoking, and getting busted for doping before a World Cup are just some of the things that have overshadowed Warne’s glittering on-field career.

Now, Shane Warne has also revealed that in 1994 during a Test match between Pakistan and Australia, former Pakistan captain Salim Malik offered him and spinner Tim May US$200,000 ($AUD276,000) each to bowl wide of the stumps.

“We’re feeling pretty confident that we’re going to knock over Pakistan. I knock on the door, Saleem Malik answers the door. I sit down, and he goes, ‘Good match we’ve got going. I went, ‘Yep, I think we should win tomorrow though’.

He goes, ‘Well we can’t lose …. you don’t understand what happens when we lose in Pakistan. Our houses will get burnt down, out family’s houses will get burnt down’,” Warne said in his upcoming documentary Shane.

IPL 2022: BCCI contemplating March 25 start; entire tournament likely to be played in Mumbai- Report

Australia needed seven more wickets to win the Test at Karachi’s National Stadium when Warne, who was at the time was on an annual contract worth approximately AUD$25,000-30,000, turned it down.

“I don’t really know what to say. I just sort of sat there, stunned. And then I go, ‘F*** you, mate. We’re going to beat ya’," he responded.

Salim Malik was later banned from cricket for life in 2000 and ended his career with 5768 runs in Test cricket including 15 centuries and 7170 runs in One-day Internationals.

“When you talk about match-fixing now, people hope it doesn’t go on. Back in that time, 30 years ago, there was no talk about it. It had never raised its head anywhere in any sport. When he offered me that, it was a bit like, ‘What the hell?’ I was blown away, I didn’t know anything about it,” Warne said to news.com.au.

Ashes 2021-22: "Let’s be fair to bowlers," Cricket fraternity reacts to Ben Stokes' lucky survival

Warne and Tim had also informed Mark Taylor and national coach Bob Simpson about the incident, which was also communicated to match referee John Reid.

Warne was named Player of the Match for his 8/150, however, Inzamam-Ul-Haq and No. 11 Mushtaq Ahmed put up a 57-run partnership to help Pakistan register a narrow one-wicket win.

“We’re standing at the ceremony at the end. I’m looking at the Pakistan group, and Saleem Malik’s just sort of sitting there with this smug look on his face, like, ‘You should have taken the cash,” Warne recalled.