Former Pakistan players slam new claims

KARACHI — Former Pakistan players on Sunday cried foul over more allegations of corruption against the embattled national team, saying the new claims were part of a conspiracy.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has launched an investigation into a "certain scoring pattern" that emerged during Pakistan's victory over England at the Oval on Friday in the third one-day international.
It followed a report by The Sun newspaper, which claimed to have been made aware of details of Pakistan's innings before the match had got underway.
The new allegations follow the suspension of three Pakistan players for alleged involvement in spot-fixing during a Test at Lord's after a report by another British tabloid, the News of the World.
"I think the ICC has taken a decision (to launch an inquiry) in haste and the PCB must protest with them," former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas told AFP, referring to the Pakistan Cricket Board.
"The new allegations are from a newspaper of the same group as News of the World, so I see it as a conspiracy against Pakistan."
The PCB has strongly condemned the latest investigation and the ICC's handling of it, saying Pakistan cricket authorities had not been consulted.
Another former captain, Rashid Latif, backed the PCB.
"Upon getting the information the ICC started its investigation and the PCB rightly expressed its disappointment over it," he said.
"The ICC is there because of its full members and being a full member the PCB should have been given the due respect."
Former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir said: "I see the latest fixing allegations as part of the Lord's Test scandal and there are people who are targeting Pakistan team, which should be protested strongly."

Pakistan series should continue - Andrew Strauss

England skipper Andrew Strauss insists the one-day international series against Pakistan should carry on despite calls for its abandonment.

The Test and one-day matches against Pakistan have been blighted with allegations of spot-fixing and Friday's one-dayer is being investigated.

But Strauss said: "It's a hard thing to stop a series when we don't know how credible the evidence is.

"If the ICC had hard evidence of what was happening we'd change our views."
England and Pakistan play the fourth, and penultimate, one-day international at Lord's on Monday, with England 2-1 ahead in the series.
One of those calling for the two matches not to be played is Michael Vaughan. The former England captain said: "It would be the right thing for the game. I know the allegations have yet to be proved but there are so many flying around and it's damaging the game."
Strauss said he "totally understood" the viewpoint that the remaining matches should be cancelled but admitted the allegations were no longer affecting his players.
"I think we've got used to putting that to one side now," Strauss added. "I think we've got used to focusing on the cricket side of things now."
The final match is at the Rose Bowl in Hampshire on Wednesday.

Although claims are still hanging over the fourth Test and Friday's match at The Oval, the England and Wales Cricket Board decided the matches should continue after viewing details supplied by the International Cricket Council.

606: DEBATE Give your reaction to Strauss's comments

The investigation is the latest blight on Pakistan's summer tour, with four members of the team - none of whom were involved in Friday's match - being investigated amid allegations of spot-fixing (where players agree to bowl or bat producing predetermined outcomes).
Strauss, though, did not agree with comments made by England coach Andy Flower that the series had been "devalued".
Flower expressed over the weekend the current situation had been "very said for cricket" and "really annoying".

However, Strauss said: "It's certainly overshadowed the cricket. But I don't think that means the cricket has been any less important.

"They've been three very hard-fought cricket matches. There certainly seems to be passion on both sides, they've been high intensity affairs."
The ECB was assured no England player was linked to allegations that "a certain scoring pattern" in Pakistan's innings at The Oval was already known to bookmakers before it became reality.

In a statement, the Pakistan Cricket Board expressed regret at the way the allegations had been handled and also condemned the sensationalising of the claims which it accepts are harming cricket in general and Pakistan in particular.

Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas was equally unhappy with the manner of the investigations, as well as being upset with The Sun newspaper, who claimed to have been made aware of details of Pakistan's innings before Friday's match had got under way.

"I think the ICC has taken a decision [to launch an inquiry] in haste and the PCB must protest with them," Abbas said.

"The new allegations are from a newspaper of the same group as News of the World, so I see it as a conspiracy against Pakistan."

Haroon Lorgat is not a saint from heaven: Ijaz Butt

The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt has said that International Cricket Council Chief Haroon Lorgat is ‘not a saint from heaven’ making statements everyone should believe in.
Butt was speaking to Express 24/7 on the recent match fixing allegations leveled against Pakistan. He said that the allegations are being leveled to defraud Pakistan and Pakistan Cricket and that the PCB has launched its own investigation, and will be announcing names of parties, organisations and people involved.
He also said that according some bookies, some English players were paid enormous amounts of money which is why the England batting collapsed in the third one day.
Butt said that it was unfortunate that statements and allegations had been levelled without any investigations, and that he would be bringing up these questions ata meeting on the 11th.
Speaking on the previous match fixing allegations, he said that all three players have been questioned by Scotland Yard for nine hours and no charges had been pressed against them.
Pakistan cricket recently received another blow, after a UK based paper alleged that Pakistan players were involved in fixing the third one day international.

Afridi rubbishes spot-fixing allegations in third ODI

KARACHI: Pakistan's ODI captain Shahid Afridi has rubbished allegations of spot fixing following his side's 23-run victory in the third one-dayer against England at the Oval.

The match had come under the scanner following claims by British tabloid 'The Sun' that bookies knew details of Pakistan's innings even before Friday's third one-dayer began. The ICC in a statement said that investigation is warranted as information about a certain scoring pattern appeared to be "correct".

The allegations, however, have left Afridi shocked. "I thought we played hard cricket and tried our level best to win the match. I just see these new allegations as an attempt to put pressure on the team," Afridi was quoted as saying on Geo TV.
"It is very unfortunate because the players have been under pressure since the Lords Test and the one-day series is still wide open," the flamboyant skipper said.
The Pakistan skipper has, however, called for exemplary punishment if anyone is found guilty, but only on the basis of concrete proofs and the evidence should be made public.

The latest allegations come on the heels of Scotland Yard's investigations into the three Pakistani players' -- Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif -- alleged involvement in spot fixing during the Lord's Test last month.

The three accused players are presently in Pakistan, serving ICC's suspension.

The win at the Oval has given Pakistan a chance to win the one-day series, provided they win the next two games.

"Our job right now is to focus on the remaining two matches and that is what I have told the players. The board will handle the rest," Afridi said.

\The skipper had some good news for Pakistani fans as wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has recovered from the finger injury he suffered during the third one-dayer and will be available for the next match on Sunday.

Pakistan: After Spot Fixing Scandal Pakistan Cricket Team Lands In Yet Another Trouble

It seems as if Pakistan Cricket Team has come into the bad eyes of ICC and Media all over the world. Pakistan looses so all the members of Pakistan team get trapped in their own trap and if Pakistan wins yet Pakistan team lands in trouble. This the first time when some team has landed in hot water because they won. That is the last thing Pakistan wanted after spot fixing scandal couple of weeks ago.

Yes everyone! This is hundred percent true about Pakistan. This time Pakistan has landed in trouble because of winning the match instead of loosing.

Pakistan won the match on Friday by 23 runs against England. In this victory of Pakistan Umar Gul played indispensible role. Umar Gul bowled very well and got 6 wickets in his kitty. But what is in it to land Pakistan in yet another controversy? This is the question that may be puzzling everybody.

So fans this time Pakistan Cricket Team is in trouble because it is surmised that the scoring pattern of the match between England vs Pakistan was pre-decided that means scoring pattern was fixed. A British newspaper “The Sun” claims that even this match was rigged.

According to ICC a British newspaper “The Sun” has claimed that it has all the evidences to prove it. According to the” The Sun” Bookmakers already knew the pattern of Pakistan innings even before the commencement of the match. In this regard when DLN sources approached ICC Chief Executive Mr. Haroon Longart has confirmed it and he said that this matter needs further investigation. Moreover, it should be completely merciless as this game has featured another shape of match fixing in the shape of pre-decided scoring pattern.
The moment ICC came to know about this recent controversy ICC launched an investigation of this matter. ICC has confirmed it in the British newspaper through a statement.

In addition to it ICC Chief Executive said that British newspaper had claimed that certain sort of scoring pattern would be seen in this match at certain stages. Harron Longart said when we investigated in regard so we found the claim to be completely true.

At this Mr. Longart said that now it becomes our duty towards the game to investigate this matter deeply and honestly. In addition to it we feel that we must catch the bull by the horns this time and bring the guilty to the book at any cost. We can not allow anyone to spoil the game like that for the sake of few bucks. Moreover, despite having all the necessary proofs it will be too early to say anything in this regard. So we ought to wait for sometime and let the investigation be conducted properly. Only then something further can be said in this matter.

So far as ICC’s approach is concerned so ICC has made it loud and clear that nothing that spoils the game and its integrity is going to be tolerated at any cost. So if anyone found guilty in this crime will surely face serious consequences according to the our broad Anti-Corruption Code. So be it players or be it some official ICC is not going to tolerate any crime this time.

So in this regard ICC has launched an investigation about the match of England Vs Pakistan that was won by the touring party by 23 runs.

So this zero-tolerance approach adopted by the ICC is yet another bad news for Pakistan Cricket Team that has already come in the bad eyes of everyone in the world owing to the cowardly assassination of Cricket committed by thankless Pakistan Cricket Team and Pakistan Cricket Board Officials.

Mani blames PCB for the mess

Former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani said there is a clear trust deficit between the ICC and the PCB.

Mani, expressing disappointment over the alleged involvement of Pakistani players in spot fixing, said the PCB had failed to read and handle the situation correctly."If the PCB themselves had taken action against the players when these allegations first came up I don't think the ICC would have come into the picture like this. Now the whole issue is out of PCB's hands and the players are suffering," Mani said.
Mani also felt that the PCB should have taken the ICC into confidence and keep briefing them on allegations against the Pakistani players from the start.
"Now until the ICC completes its investigations and Scotland Yard also ends its inquiry the PCB has no concrete role to play in this entire issue," he said.
The former ICC chief also expressed surprise at the way the PCB management took the tour of England