Pakistan cricket ‘spot-fixing’ trio face tribunal

DOHA: A make-or-break anti-corruption tribunal against Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer opens in Doha Thursday, with the players facing lengthy bans if found guilty.

The hearing will be held behind closed doors at the Qatar Financial Centre from 0630 GMT and is scheduled to run until January 11, although lawyers have indicated a verdict may come earlier.

The three face charges of spot-fixing during Pakistan’s tour of England last year in a scandal that rocked the sport. It is alleged that they conspired in the bowling of deliberate no-balls — claims they all deny.

They were provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in September, with the world governing body’s code of conduct carrying a minimum five-year ban if corruption charges are proved.

New Zealand, Pakistan seek honour in adversity

WELLINGTON: With New Zealand cricket in turmoil on the field and Pakistan in tumult off it, there is plenty at stake for both sides when they launch a 11-match series with a Twenty20 game in Auckland Sunday.

Over the next seven weeks New Zealand and Pakistan will attempt to turn their fortunes around as they play three Twenty20s, two Tests and six one-dayers before heading to the subcontinent for the one-day World Cup.

Pakistan’s internal turmoil has forced them to field a spare-parts team with several of their stars left at home including alleged spot-fixers Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif.

To add to the pressure, they were skittled out for a meagre 91 by Auckland in their one-day warm up game and then saw the home side overhaul the target for the loss of only five wickets and with nearly seven overs to spare.

Four more Pakistan players implicated in fixing

KARACHI: Pakistan’s cricket fixing scandal deepened Wednesday as television footage apparently showed bookmaker Mazhar Majeed implicating another four Pakistani players during a crisis-hit tour of England.

Pakistan’s largest private television station Geo aired the footage late Tuesday, apparently taken from a British tabloid sting operation during Pakistan’s fourth Test against England at Lord’s in August.

The News of the World report showed Majeed posing as a marketing agent and claiming that seven Pakistani players would obey his orders during matches.

In August, the newspaper named former Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer as implicated in the sting. All three have since been provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

But the latest footage showed Majeed speaking to an undercover reporter and

Alam sees progress for Pakistan cricket

ABU DHABI: Manager Intikhab Alam on Thursday expressed confidence that Pakistan cricket was heading in the right direction after drawing the two-Test series against South Africa.

Both Tests were drawn and Alam believes this will establish a solid platform for his team to build upon following a turbulent last four months.

Pakistan cricket was rocked by spot-fixing allegations which led to the suspensions of former Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, leaving them to rebuild their system.

The International Cricket Council directed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take serious measures to curb corruption and disciplinary problems in their cricket or face crippling sanctions.

Alam said Pakistan cricket was progressing both on and off the field.

“We have put in a lot of efforts and I think with a good result in

South Africa opts to bat first against Pakistan

DUBAI: South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first in the first Test match against Pakistan here on Friday.

Pakistan will hope to put a series of on- and off-field problems behind them and build under new captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

Pakistan’s last Test against England at Lord’s in August has been a subject of separate inquiries from Scotland Yard and the International Cricket Council (ICC) after a British newspaper report claimed several of its players accepted money from match-fixers.

Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer — accused of contriving deliberate no-balls during that match — were provisionally suspended by the ICC.

Misbah replaced Salman as captain for the two-Test series, shifted to the United Arab Emirates after South Africa refused to tour Pakistan over security fears.

Both Dubai and Abu

ICC impressed with Pakistan’s corruption response

KARACHI: A Task team of cricket’s governing body on Sunday said it was impressed by the steps taken by Pakistan authorities to curb corruption and discipline problems to safeguard the integrity of the game.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) last month advised Pakistan to take strict steps to curb corruption and disciplinary problems, if they fail it could see the ICC punishing them.

Pakistan cricket has been rocked by allegations of spot-fixing, match-fixing and disciplinary problems, resulting in earning a bad name for the game at international level.

Three Pakistani players — Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer — were provisionally suspended on charges of violating the ICC players’ code of conduct last month.

The suspension came over reports in the British newspaper News of the World, which claimed several Pakistani players –

ICC not against Pakistan, says former president

DUBAI: A former president of the International Cricket Council blamed Pakistan cricket authorities for the state of the game in the country and denied the ICC was picking on Pakistan.

“ICC is not against Pakistan, it’s Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which is against their cricket and has not sorted out their problems, forcing the ICC to take the matters in its hands,” Pakistani Ehsan Mani told AFP.

“The way PCB is being run, it is only to protect the position of one person,” said Mani, ICC president 2003-2006, without specifically naming under fire PCB chairman Ijaz Butt.

Pakistan’s recent tour of England was marred by newspaper allegations of spot-fixing during a Test at Lord’s in August, leading to the ICC suspending three key players.

The ICC on Sunday turned down an appeal from Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and bowler Mohammad Aamer against the

ICC not against Pakistan, says former president

DUBAI: A former president of the International Cricket Council blamed Pakistan cricket authorities for the state of the game in the country and denied the ICC was picking on Pakistan.

“ICC is not against Pakistan, it’s Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which is against their cricket and has not sorted out their problems, forcing the ICC to take the matters in its hands,” Pakistani Ehsan Mani told AFP.

“The way PCB is being run, it is only to protect the position of one person,” said Mani, ICC president 2003-2006, without specifically naming under fire PCB chairman Ijaz Butt.

Pakistan’s recent tour of England was marred by newspaper allegations of spot-fixing during a Test at Lord’s in August, leading to the ICC suspending three key players.

The ICC on Sunday turned down an appeal from Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and bowler Mohammad Aamer against the

ICC hearing for suspended cricketers resumes

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council resumed hearing an appeal by Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Aamer against suspensions for their alleged involvement in a betting scandal.

The ICC is expected to issue a ruling Sunday, with the pair hoping their suspensions are lifted and they are able to join the Pakistan team in the United Arab Emirates for the ongoing series against South Africa.

The team has lost all its matches in the absence of Butt, Aamer and Mohamad Asif, who is not challenging his suspension because he is banned from entering the United Arab Emirates due to a previous offense.

The ICC suspended the trio after a British tabloid sting alleged money was paid for bowling no-balls at prearranged times in a Test against England to fix spot betting markets. Trend Pk

ICC hearing for suspended cricketers resumes

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council resumed hearing an appeal by Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Aamer against suspensions for their alleged involvement in a betting scandal.

The ICC is expected to issue a ruling Sunday, with the pair hoping their suspensions are lifted and they are able to join the Pakistan team in the United Arab Emirates for the ongoing series against South Africa.

The team has lost all its matches in the absence of Butt, Aamer and Mohamad Asif, who is not challenging his suspension because he is banned from entering the United Arab Emirates due to a previous offense.

The ICC suspended the trio after a British tabloid sting alleged money was paid for bowling no-balls at prearranged times in a Test against England to fix spot betting markets. Trend Pk

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