PCB to grill tainted cricketers today

Tainted Pakistani cricketers captain Salman Butt, fast bowlers Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amir will face an internal inquiry of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday at the Pakistan High Commission here.

The three players were barred from practicing in Taunton on Tuesday and asked to report to London to be questioned by Scotland Yard investigators for a second time in connection with the no-ball controversy that has erupted during the current series against England.

Team manager Yawar Saeed said that PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and the country’s High Commissioner will attend the meeting.

Along with wicket keeper Kamran Akmal, these three players were questioned over the weekend as well at their London hotel.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat will also meet Butt to discus the situation.

Lorgat said he was extremely disappointed by the turn of events. He added that there is a “zero tolerance” policy for corruption in cricket and any player involved in wrong-doing will be strictly punished.

“I am very, very disappointed. I guess… I’m at a loss for words to describe how not just myself but every loving cricketer and fan of this wonderful sport will be feeling right now.”

Over the weekend, UK tabloid News of the World showed video footage of a middleman, Mazhar Majeed, accepting thousands of pounds from an undercover reporter. In return, he promises to have three no-balls bowled at certain times at the Lord’s test match. The no-balls did play out exactly as promised by Majeed, who was arrested on Saturday and then released on bail on Sunday.