Thaindian News

Karachi, Sep 3(ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s decision to drop captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif -the three players accused of ’spot-fixing’- from the tour of England, has received a mixed reaction from former cricketers.

Former batsman and PCB chief executive Arif Abassi said that it was the right decision, as the accused players were under stress.

“The players were not in the right state of mind and since they are under trial they should not play,” The News quoted Abbasi, as saying.

He also said that the investigation should be speeded up to give the team a quick resolution to the matter.

Former captain Asif Iqbal agreed with Abbasi, and said: “I don’t know whether this decision has been taken under pressure, but it’s true that the players would not have felt good about this investigation.”
However, former PCB chairman Tauqir Zia said that the board should have waited for the police inquiry to be completed.

Former spinner Tauseef Ahmed also supported the remark, and said that by not playing, the cricketers could be seen to be admitting their guilt.

“Allegations are allegations until they are proven. I feel that they should have waited for the inquiry to be completed,” Ahmed said.

The Pakistan team is in the midst of a betting scam, where fast bowlers Amir and Asif are alleged to have bowled pre-arranged no-balls in the Lord’s Test, which England won by an innings and 225 runs.

British tabloid The News of the World has claimed that the cricketers were part of a 150,000-pound betting scam with Butt and London-based agent Mazhar Majeed. (ANI)