LONDON: Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed denied Sunday that cricket in his country was riven by corruption in the wake of claims players had taken part in a betting scam in the Test match against England.
Asked if the British newspaper claims against his team proved that Pakistani cricket was “institutionally corrupt”, Saeed told Sky Sports: “I would not like to say that. This is the first time I've been the manager and we've been involved in such a thing.
“Yes, one has heard and one has read (allegations), but I would not like to go that far.”
Saeed also confirmed that Pakistan captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif had their mobile telephones taken away by police on Saturday after being spoken to about the newspaper allegations.
“The three gentlemen have had their phones confiscated,” Saeed told Sky Sports.
The controversy stems from a News of the World newspaper report, which claims it paid 150,000 pounds (230,000 dollars, 185,000 euros) to a middle man in return for details about the timing of three no-balls in the fourth Test at Lord's, which ended Sunday in victory for England.
The report alleged that Aamer and Asif delivered the blatant no-balls at the exact points in the match agreed with the alleged fixer.
The newspaper published a photograph of the alleged middle man, Mazhar Majeed, who acts as agent to some Pakistan players, counting wads of banknotes given to him by a reporter posing as a front man for a betting syndicate. -AFP
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