Fact-finding committee submits report on Haider controversy

The PCB's three-member fact-finding committee has submitted its final report on investigations intoZulqarnain Haider's controversial flight from Dubai to London during the series against South Africa. The PCB declined to make further comments after the committee - comprising team manager Intikhab Alam, the board's security manager Major Najam Javed and senior official Subhan Ahmed - finalised its report.

Haider, who had played a match-winning hand in the fourth one-dayer on November 5, disappeared from Dubai ahead of the final match and surfaced in London. He later confirmed later that he received threats from unidentified people following the fourth match and was told to get in line for the decider. As a result of the threats Haider announced his retirement from cricket. The ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit got in touch with Haider, but the world body will wait for the PCB to finish its probe before launching its own investigation into the issue.

Haider has, meanwhile, updated his Facebook page with a message saying he plans to expose "those who have taken money", following which his family has reported receiving phone calls threatening of dire consequences

Pakistan's Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif to be charged under 104-year-old corruption law

The Telegraph can disclose there is a “strong appetite” to prosecute Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, according to legal and police sources.

It comes after another cricketer accused of similar claims has been charged under the rarely-used corruption law, and for cheating under the new Gambling Act.

The Attorney General rubber-stamped the decision to prosecute former Essex seamer Mervyn Westfield for deliberately bowling badly during a one-day game against Durham. Sources said that it paved the way for charges against the Pakistan cricketers.Scotland Yard detectives interviewed them in September on suspicion of defrauding bookmakers after a newspaper sting alleged they received orders from businessman Mazhar Majeed to deliberately bowl no-balls in the Lord’s Test against England.

Police are now pursuing a charge of “accepting or obtaining corrupt payments” contrary to their “employer’s affairs or considerations” under the 1906 Corruption Act. It was originally framed for those working in public office and carries a maximum penalty of seven years in jail.

In the News of the World sting, Majeed, an agent, received £150,000 from an undercover reporter. It is understood that detectives have recovered just £4,000 of the money.

Two files of evidence have been passed by police to the Crown Prosecution Service, whose lawyers are under pressure to make a decision on any charges ahead of the February’s World Cup, which is being held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

They will now be able to refer to the precedent set by Dominic Grieve, the Attorney General, in the Westfield case - making charges more likely.

Westfield was originally charged with conspiracy to defraud after an investigation into a match against Durham in September 2009.

His lawyers argued that the case was not legitimate because the accusations did not fit the law.

It was also difficult to establish a potential “victim” in the case because no legal bookmaker in Britain actually takes bets on the timing of specific no-balls or wides, At an Old Bailey hearing last month, David Durose, prosecuting, said that the matter had been referred to the Attorney General to approve “more suitable” charges.

The first charge is under the corruption law and the second count is cheating under the Gambling Act 2005.

The Telegraph has learnt that the chief legal adviser agreed to an indictment with two new charges.

A CPS spokesperson said: “The CPS has decided that Mervyn Westfield should be charged with corruptly accepting or obtaining a payment for himself and with assisting another to cheat at gambling. Both charges relate to bowling in a manner calculated and intended to allow the scoring of runs in a NatWest Pro40 cricket match.

“We will not proceed with the charge of conspiracy to defraud as we have decided that the two new charges better fit the facts of the case. There was no substantial legal argument on the previous charge and the decision to replace it with the new charges was taken by the CPS.”

'Miandad return a big boost'

Never a great fan of Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram welcomes the return of the controversial former national coach as a batting adviser.

Wasim Akram has welcomed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to include Javed Miandad as batting consultant of the senior national team. Miandad has been the chief coach on two occasions before. 

Akram, who was Pakistan captain during Miandad's coaching stint (1998-99), feels the team will surely benefit from his vast experience.

"Javed Miandad is a hard-working man. Then he knows the ins and outs of batting technique. He is one of the greats of his times. So it's nice to have a big name like him in the side. He is street fighter and players should learn from him," said Akram.

Never known for great man management, Akram wonders if Miandad will be the perfect team man Pakistan need at these times. “Waqar Younis (now chief coach), bowling advisor Aaquib Javed and Miandad will have to work together to build the future of Pakistan cricket,” Akram told Mobile ESPN in an exclusive chat from Karachi on Monday. 

"If Waqar, Aaquib and Miandad could combine well then Pakistan will immensely benefit from their experience. They can do wonders for Pakistan cricket as long as they stick together," Akram added.

The Misbah-ul-Haq-led Pakistan side played well against South Africa in the recently concluded two-Test series in the UAE. Misbah scored an unbeaten 76 in the first Test, while the 36-year-old batsman managed 77 and a dogged 58 not out to rescue Pakistan in the second Test as well. Akram feels that Misbah has shown good temperament as a leader.

"It was a good omen for Pakistan cricket that they drew the series against one of the top sides of the world. Misbah played good cricket and displayed some exemplary leadership qualities. I believed that he was a stop-gap arrangement for Pakistan, but if he is given more time, he will surely do well in the job," said Akram.

Akram is also very happy with the inclusion of former captain Younis Khan. Younis, who hit an unbeaten 131 in the first Test against Proteas was instrumental in Pakistan putting up a good fight in UAE.

"Younis returning to the side is a big plus for Pakistan. He is a senior player, who played well in the Test matches as well. He will be a good No.3 or No.4 in the batting order. Younis' presence will be of great help when chasing big scores," said Akram.

Akram though cautioned the team management to take care of their senior players for Pakistan cricket to prosper. 

"The team should use the services of Younis to their advantage. He is a senior member and should be given due respect. He should be treated like a senior and get the best out of him. Younis is not only a good batsman and fielder but is also a team-man," Akram said.

Kamran Akmal ready to play as specialist batsman

Kamran Akmal the Pakistan wicketkeeper, has said he has ironed out technical flaws in his glovework and is determined to make a comeback behind the stumps, but is ready to play even as a specialist batsman if required. Kamran made several wicket-keeping errors on Pakistan's tour of England in August and was dropped for the second Test against the hosts. He played the last two Tests and the one-dayers but was left out of the squad for the series against South Africa.

"I've addressed some of the basics, especially those things that went wrong for me in England," Kamran told PakPassion.net. "I've watched a lot of the videos and we've analysed some of the errors. I've been working hard with the National Bank coaches and have received sound advice from ex-cricketers like Ijaz Ahmed and Waqar Younis [the national coach]."

Kamran, who was replaced by Zulqarnain Haider for the ODIs and younger brother Adnan Akmal for the Tests against South Africa, has scored 530 runs at an average of 75.71 for National Bank in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy this season, including his maiden first-class double-century against Fasialabad. Pakistan's selection committee are due to meet soon to choose the squads for the tour of New Zealand, which starts with the first of three Twenty20 internationals on December 23, as well as the preliminary 30-man squad for the World Cup, and Kamran is hopeful that his domestic performances will earn him a recall.

"When I wasn't chosen for the series versus South Africa, I decided that I would look to regain my form and confidence in domestic cricket," he said. "I've managed to score plenty of runs and I have been happy with my form behind the stumps.

"My dropping was up to the PCB and the selectors, and was out of my control. They choose who they think deserves a chance and I have no problem with that. I am more determined than ever to reclaim my place in the Pakistan side and I am comfortable if the selectors and management want me to play as a keeper or purely as a batsman."

Kamran underwent a minor appendix operation before the UAE tour but was fit when Adnan was picked for the Tests following Haider's controversial exit from the side. There was some speculation that his exclusion from the squad may have been linked to the spot-fixing scandal. He was sent a notice by the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACSU) after the Nottingham Test seeking information about events related to the 2010 World Twenty20 held in the Caribbean in May. Kamran was subsequently cleared for Pakistan selection after he sent an enquiry to the ICC asking if he was under investigation.

Akmal admitted it had been a hard few months for him but said he has the mental strength to bounce back. "Being dropped is not an easy thing to take," he said, "but I took it on the chin and decided that I would use my dropping from the team as a motivational tool. At this level, it's the mental side of the game that quite often causes mistakes or a loss of form. I needed to be mentally tougher and I've worked on that."

Haider's family reports threats to police

The family of Zulqarnain Haider, the Pakistan wicketkeeper, has reported receiving threatening phone calls to the police after Haider, who is still in England, said he would expose those involved in corrupt practices in Pakistan cricket.

"Zulqarnain's wife got three calls today, two from an unknown number and one from a number in Greece, in which the caller, speaking in Urdu, threatened her of dire consequences if Zulqarnain said anything about anyone," Aqeel Haider, one of Haider's brother, told Reuters.

Aqeel said the calls were received after Haider had updated his Facebook page with a message saying he would blow the whistle on " those who have taken money". "All these people who are saying negative things about me, they should wait for five more days, then I will show them my background and status," Haider wrote. "After five days I will show them their background and place, and also those who don't take money and those who have taken money."

Haider had gone missing from the team hotel on the morning of Pakistan's fifth ODI against South Africa in Dubai and resurfaced in London later the same day. He was said to be seeking protection in the UK after he was threatened by unidentified people following his team's one-wicket win in the fourth ODI against South Africa. As a result of the threats Haider announced his retirement from cricket.

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