Former cricketers blast ICC for believing Tabloids
Former Pakistan cricketers and officials have shown their surprise at the way the International Cricket Council has sided with the notorious English tabloids, terming their stance as biased and unjustified.
The allegations made by a British newspaper turned nasty after the International Cricket Council chief executive http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Haroon-Lorgat-c61719 thanked the newspaper for informing the world governing body of what was going to happen. He went onto
say that the ICC was investigating the match after receiving information, alleging a suspicious scoring pattern in Pakistan's innings.
Several Pakistani players and officials criticised the ICC for making its investigation public before anything was proved. Intikhab Alam, the former captain and coach said there was a conspiracy to put pressure on the team. “Pakistan
started the tour by winning its matches and the allegations the players have faced during the tour is part of the plan by the British media to demoralize the Pakistan team” he told a local news channel. He debated why the press in England wasn’t counting on
the fact that England could have been involved in the sensational loss since it was they who snatched defeat from the jaws of victory!
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Board’s legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi rubbished the latest allegations of spot-fixing. “We feel at this stage these allegations appear unfounded. We don't believe that our players did any fixing in the third one-day
match against England," Rizvi replied when asked about his comments.
The man at the center of the allegations - Pakistan captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 - told a local TV channel that he was surprised by the reports. "We were looking forward to this win because it not only has brought us in the series but
also given us a chance to try and win the series. I feel that these latest allegations are an attempt to bring the team under pressure. If anyone has any evidence that there was anything wrong in the match it should be presented first”, Afridi said.
Former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Khalid Mahmood criticised ICC for the way it handled the issue. “ICC should have trusted the PCB and not taken the side of the tabloids. Until and unless anything is proved, the players
remain innocent and that is exactly how the Pakistan cricket team should be treated.”
Iqbal http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Ali-Khan-c76651, the chairman of the National Assembly standing committee on sports, also blamed ICC for mishandling the matter. “Why didn’t the ICC react once it had prior information that there would be spot-fixing in
the match between Pakistan and England at the Oval? he asks. I think there is a definite conspiracy to damage and isolate Pakistan cricket because we have the most talented players. They might have the authority to do anything but they didn’t have the right
to issue a press release being investigating the matter.”
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Saqlain-Mushtaq-c88743, the former Pakistani off spinner credited with inventing the “doosra” and using off-spin as an attacking weapon told a local television channel not to pay any attention to the reports that come in the tabloids.
“I advise my countrymen to ignore the reports coming from London because the tabloids don’t always tell the truth. Pakistan team needs all the support it can get from the well wishers at home and abroad and we should do exactly that” he said.
There were few who had little faith in the Pakistan side. Test pacer Sikandar Bakht told an Indian television channel that he believed that some players were involved in match fixing. “I knew this would come out eventually but
match fixing has been around for some time.”
Whatever the case maybe, most of the people in Pakistan support the national team even after three of the players were suspended from the side for what looks a solid case of spot fixing against them. The officials and players feel
that such allegations should first be investigated and if the match is found to be suspect, then both the sides should be reprimanded!
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