Woolmer Was Murdered

Cricinfo:

Police are searching for the killer - or killers - of Bob Woolmer after revealing he was strangled in his hotel room on Sunday. During a press conference in Jamaica police confirmed Woolmer was murdered - he showed few signs of struggling with his attackers - and there were no suspects.

"The pathologist's report states that Mr Woolmer's death was due to asphyxiation as a result of manual strangulation," Karl Angell, the police spokesman, said. "In these circumstances, the matter of Mr Woolmer's death is now being treated by the Jamaica police as a case of murder."

MSNBC has this as one of its top stories right now.

Woolmer’s death had prompted much speculation among followers of cricket, a sport that breaks for tea and makes baseball seem fast-paced, but generates tremendous passion in Britain and its former colonies.

An outspoken Pakistani player speculated that gambling interests had it in for Woolmer. The coach’s widow said he was depressed about losing the game, but would never have committed suicide. She said an irate fan might have killed her husband.

That seems to be a likely scenario: an angry Pakistani fan killed Woolmer after Pakistan was knocked out of the World Cup.

For many in the subcontinent, cricket is equivalent to a religion.

Comments

[Sid]

There are other possibilities too. One is that Woolmer was about to expose something sensational about match-fixing -- he was silenced.

I think the Pak-Ireland match *was* fixed. It was shocking to see the way they played.

[Isaac Schrödinger]

It's possible the match was fixed but I find that highly unlikely.

For one reason: I find it hard to stomach that enough Pakistani players would sell out and, in the process, exit from the World Cup.

If, however, they did do that, then this entire episode would be the most deprave occurrence in the history of cricket.

[Tambi Dude]

If Pakistani players are thrown enough money to lose, they will certainly do it. Pakistan players
are not as well paid as Indians. Indian players
earn a lot due to endorsements.