Sport Industry Group

ICC looks to make quick Pakistan decision- 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00

The International Cricket Council is looking to make a decision by the weekend on the next course of action following the match-fixing claims made against four Pakistan cricketers as the sport continues to be rocked by the betting scandal.

The ICC’s anti-corruption unit is preparing an urgent report, while police carry out a separate criminal investigation.

The four players being questioned are Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Kamran Akmal.

The anti-corruption unit's representatives are now in the UK, while the Pakistani government is sending its equivalent members to work with Scotland Yard.

Pakistan are due to play Somerset in a tour match from Thursday before playing the first of two Twenty20 internationals against England on Sunday - by which time the ICC hopes to have made its initial report.

The ICC has also stated that Pakistan's tour of England will carry on - president Sharad Pawar said it was the ‘desire of the ICC and the cricket boards of England and Pakistan that the game should continue’.

Chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: ‘The reputation of the game has been tarnished and it is something we must make right. There is no question that people's confidence will have been swayed.

‘Hopefully we can reach a conclusion by the weekend. We are working hard, but it's important to remember that an individual is innocent until proven guilty.’

Test captain Butt, fast bowlers Amir and Asif and wicketkeeper Akmal were questioned by police at the team's hotel in London on Sunday following a report that some Pakistan players had been bribed to fix incidents during the fourth Test against England at Lord's.

The allegations centred on three no-balls from Amir and Asif which the News of the World newspaper said had been bowled on purpose at pre-determined times to facilitate betting coups after a ‘middle man’ accepted £150,000 in cash from an undercover reporter.

The man identified as the alleged go-between, cricket agent Mazhar Majeed, has been released on police bail after being arrested on Saturday on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.

‘If any players are found to be guilty, the ICC will ensure that the appropriate punishment is handed out. We will not tolerate corruption in this great game,’ said Lorgat in a statement earlier.