KARACHI, (Reuters) – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt reiterated yesterday the need for a thorough investigation into the fixing allegations that have tarnished the sport.
Pakistan’s recent tour of England was dogged by controversy, with three players including test captain Salman Butt suspended by the International Cricket Council over allegations of spot-fixing.
“Many of these recent allegations have concerned the Pakistan cricket team and these must and will be properly investigated,” Butt said in a statement. “But the problem and the rumours are not confined to any single country.
“Those of us who care about the state of cricket in the world today will not flinch from a thorough, uncompromising investigation of any such allegations and rumours, whether they concern Pakistan or any other cricketing nation, and we at the PCB will give any such investigation our fullest cooperation and support,” he added.
Butt was himself forced to withdraw allegations of match-fixing against the England team and to apologise to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
“I had a positive and productive meeting with Mr. Giles Clarke, Chairman of the ECB, who has consistently shown himself to be a good friend to Pakistan cricket,” Butt said.
“This allowed us to address a variety of concerns and to correct any misunderstandings which may have arisen.
“In particular, I was happy to correct the misunderstanding that I, or anyone at the PCB, had made any allegations about members of the England cricket team,” Butt said.
The appeals of Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif against their provisional suspensions will be held in Doha on Oct. 30 and 31.
