ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
London: Pakistan's team manager Yawar Saeed said on Sunday that no allegations are true till they are proved even as the Metropolitan Police quizzed three Pakistan cricketers over claims that they were involved in a betting scam.
"Police had taken three players' mobile phones. Cricket was not institutionally corrupt in Pakistan and the claims were unproven," said Saeed.
The News of the World claims it paid a middleman for details of three no-balls later bowled by Pakistan as predicted. England won the match at Lord's on the fourth morning on Sunday.
Scotland Yard said a 35-year-old man was being held on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.
The allegations relate to three no-balls delivered by Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif on Thursday and Friday.
In the post match press conference, Pakistan captain Salman Butt, who was one of the players quizzed by investigating agencies, said he was not stepping down and that he and his team-mates had "given their best".
"I would say that everybody in this team has given 100 per cent," he said.
The police inquiries come after the News of the World revealed that in exchange for £150,000, a middleman gave it details of three no-balls which players later bowled at the predicted times.
The paper claims that Pakistani players were secretly paid to deliberately bowl the no-balls so gambling syndicates could bet on them and make money.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani said the allegations made his country "bow its head in shame".
He has asked his government's Ministry of Sport to conduct an inquiry.
Pakistan's Sports Minister Ijaz Jakhrani said any players found guilty would face life bans.
"We will take strict action, but first we will have to look at the inquiry report from the British police and once it is out and implicates someone then we will give exemplary punishment," he said.
"If any wrong doing was proven, he said, "all the players involved must forget to play for Pakistan in future.''
England captain Andrew Strauss said the allegations had "removed the gloss" from his side's 3-1 series win.
"The mood was rather sombre. Cricket was in the headlines for the worst of reasons. I can't really comment on the specific allegations, but clearly it has been a tough day," he said.
London: Pakistan's team manager Yawar Saeed said on Sunday that no allegations are true till they are proved even as the Metropolitan Police quizzed three Pakistan cricketers over claims that they were involved in a betting scam. "Police had taken three players' mobile phones. Cricket was not...
London: Pakistan's team manager Yawar Saeed said on Sunday that no allegations are true till they are proved even as the Metropolitan Police quizzed three Pakistan cricketers over claims that they were involved in a betting scam.
"Police had taken three players' mobile phones. Cricket was not institutionally corrupt in Pakistan and the claims were unproven," said Saeed.
The News of the World claims it paid a middleman for details of three no-balls later bowled by Pakistan as predicted. England won the match at Lord's on the fourth morning on Sunday.
Scotland Yard said a 35-year-old man was being held on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.
The allegations relate to three no-balls delivered by Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif on Thursday and Friday.
In the post match press conference, Pakistan captain Salman Butt, who was one of the players quizzed by investigating agencies, said he was not stepping down and that he and his team-mates had "given their best".
"I would say that everybody in this team has given 100 per cent," he said.
The police inquiries come after the News of the World revealed that in exchange for £150,000, a middleman gave it details of three no-balls which players later bowled at the predicted times.
The paper claims that Pakistani players were secretly paid to deliberately bowl the no-balls so gambling syndicates could bet on them and make money.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani said the allegations made his country "bow its head in shame".
He has asked his government's Ministry of Sport to conduct an inquiry.
Pakistan's Sports Minister Ijaz Jakhrani said any players found guilty would face life bans.
"We will take strict action, but first we will have to look at the inquiry report from the British police and once it is out and implicates someone then we will give exemplary punishment," he said.
"If any wrong doing was proven, he said, "all the players involved must forget to play for Pakistan in future.''
England captain Andrew Strauss said the allegations had "removed the gloss" from his side's 3-1 series win.
"The mood was rather sombre. Cricket was in the headlines for the worst of reasons. I can't really comment on the specific allegations, but clearly it has been a tough day," he said.
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