Thaindian News

London/Dubai/Karachi, Sep 18 (IANS) The cricketing world suffered another rude shock within a fortnight as the International Cricket Council (ICC) launched fresh investigations in another spot-fixing allegations in Friday’s ODI involving Pakistan and England at the Oval.
The investigations follows after British daily The Sun raised doubts on the scoring pattern of Pakistan’s innings in Friday’s ODI in London.

The Sun reported that insidious activities involving manipulating passages of play such as the number of runs scored in a block of overs during Pakistan’s innings took place in the match. Pakistan won the match by 23 runs, but the ICC admitted the scoring patterns in the match were suspicious.

The daily had informed the ICC about the incident on the basis of call details between a person based in Dubai and an alleged bookie in Delhi.

Following the information received from the British newspaper, the ICC feels a full investigation is warranted.

Sky News, however, reported quoting ICC sources that none of the England players are under ICC’s scanner.

The latest scandal comes after three Pakistani players - Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer - have been provisionally suspended by the ICC on charges of spot-fixing in the Lord’s Test against England last month.

ICC’s chief executive Haroon Lorgat said a source informed The Sun newspaper that a certain scoring pattern would emerge during certain stages of the match.

“And, broadly speaking, that information appeared to be correct. We, therefore, feel it is incumbent upon us to launch a full enquiry into this particular game although it is worth pointing out at this stage that we are not stating as fact that anything untoward has occurred. Only in the fullness of the investigation can that be established,” Lorgat said in a statement.

“We thank The Sun newspaper for its information and cooperation in this regard, and we will work with its staff and sources to ensure the full truth surrounding this match is ascertained,” he added.

Lorgat went on to add that the ICC maintains a zero-tolerance approach to corruption in cricket.

“As a matter of course, we follow up on all credible information that is received, whatever the source. Any player or official found guilty of an offence will face the full rigour of our robust Anti-Corruption Code so that we can ensure the integrity of the sport is maintained,” he said.

The latest investigations come after three Pakistani players — Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif — were provisionally suspended by the ICC on charges of spot-fixing.

The three have been accused of accepting money from a London-based bookie Majeed Mazhar for bowling deliberate no-balls in the Lord’s Test. The incident was revealed by The News of the World in a sting operation.

ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) and the Scotland Yard are investigating the spot-fixing scandal.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Saturday said the remaining two matches against Pakistan will go on as per schedule despite the ICC investigations.

The ECB, refused to comment on the latest ICC investigation, but said the allegations is not going to threaten the remaining two matches.

“The matter is in the hands of the ICC as it stands. We see the final two matches going ahead at this stage,” an ECB spokesperson was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.

One of Pakistan’s former cricketing greats has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for some strict action, while some others have urged it to rally behind the country’s beleaguered players who are embroiled in match-fixing scandals.

Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas said such scandals were ruining Pakistan cricket, and added that the PCB will have to take decisive action.

Former Test leg-spinner Abdul Qadir suspected that the latest scandal was part of a conspiracy hatched against Pakistan cricket, and former off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq asked the PCB to rally behind Pakistan’s cricketers because they are “being targeted by conspirators”.