Accused players to meet PCB chief in London, will not train

KARACHI: The three Pakistani cricketers who have been named in a spot-fixing scandal will not practise with their team in Taunton on Tuesday, manager Yawar Saaed said.

“The three will also be meeting with the Pakistan High Commissioner in London on Wednesday,” Saeed told a local television channel.

The three players, test captain, Salman Butt and pace bowlers Muhammad Amir and Muhammad Asif, have been accused by a 35-year-old Pakistani man of taking bribes to fix incidents during the Lord’s test against England last week.

The International Cricket Council, meanwhile, said that wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal will no longer be a part of the spot-fixing investigations.

The man, Mazhar Majeed, who was arrested and then released on bail, is accused of trying to defraud bookmakers.

Pakistan play a warm-up match in Taunton on Thursday ahead of two Twenty20 and five one-day internationals against England.

Sources in the Pakistan team said it was decided to keep the three players away from the practice session to avoid any more media attention.

“The three have also been told to prepare for the meeting at the high commission in which a British legal expert will also be present,” a source said.

The source said the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption and security unit and Britain’s Scotland Yard would submit their report on the spot-fixing allegations by Thursday.

In Taunton, reporters were refused entry to the county ground, where Pakistan were due to train later on Tuesday.

Somerset Chief Executive Richard Gould told AFP: “Pakistan have requested a closed practice session today. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”

NO SUSPENSIONS

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement on Monday that until the investigations were completed no player would be suspended.

“Chairman Ijaz Butt just told me that since there is a case going on with the Scotland Yard we are not going to suspend any player,” Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Nadeem Sarwar told AFP.

“He further said that this is only an allegation so far. There is still no charge or proof on that account. So at this stage there will be no action taken.”

Sarwar refused to comment on reported demands by the International Cricket Council and some of the England players to suspend the men under investigation.