http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Akram-Raza-c76631 not to be allowed to Umpire any Matches – Pakistan Cricket Board
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that the former off-spinner turned umpire, Akram Raza, will not be allowed to officiate in any matches organized by the PCB until he gets cleared from the betting case by the court of Law.
Akram was arrested in a police raid on a betting racket, where he along with six other individuals was taken into custody. The raid took place at Ashrafi plaza, Lahore on Sunday while the betters were busy placing illegal bets on an Indian Premier League
match.
Speaking on the matter, the spokesman of the PCB said, “We will let the law take its own course and wait for the competent authorities to take a decision. But until a decision is taken by competent authorities, it is unlikely that Raza will be considered
for any umpiring duties.”
The PCB has clarified that it will not be launching its own investigation into the matter until the final verdict of the court of law.
On Monday, Akram, who has played 49 One Day Internationals and nine Test matches for Pakistan was set free on bail but will need to appear before the Lahore court in connection with the case.
The current umpire in Pakistan's domestic circuit has maintained his innocence and pledged to clear his name from the crime which he claims to have not committed.
Talking to the media, after getting bail, the former Pakistan off- break spinner, reiterated that he went to meet a friend and while he was there, the police busted the area and arrested him aong with six of his companions.
"I will prove my innocence because I don't want my umpiring career derailed now. I have already gone through enough in the past as well and I will fight my case through my lawyer," he said.
According to the police, the law enforcement agencies confiscated televisions, cell phones, computers and contacts of potential Indian bookies. According to the police, it is still unknown whether the culprits were also betting on the first Test match between
Pakistan and the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760.
However, Akram insists that he was trapped and will prove his innocence to save his career as an umpire. He is a member of PCB’s elite panel of umpires and was recently interviewed for a possible place on ICC’s panel of elite umpires.
Digging further into the matter, it has been learned that the 46-year old Raza was among the six players who were fined by the Pakistan's cricket governing body after an inquiry by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum deemed the players guilty of involvement in
match-fixing.
Akram played most of his cricket under the leadership of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Saleem-Malik-c88105 who was banned by the PCB in May, 2000 on charges of match-fixing.
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