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Three Pakistan Cricket Players Dropped for Rest of Series Against England
Three Pakistan cricket players at the center of an alleged betting controversy proclaimed their innocence after asking to be left out of the rest of the national squad’s tour of England.
Team captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were allegedly bribed to fix incidents during their fourth Test defeat against England last week. The three met today in London with Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan.
“The three players have said that they are extremely disturbed by what has happened in the past week, especially in regard of their alleged involvement in the crime,” Hasan said in a televised press briefing. “They mentioned that they are entirely innocent in the whole episode and shall defend their innocence as such.”
The players won’t take part in the two Twenty20 matches and five one-day international games against England, beginning Sept. 5.
“They have voluntarily offered that they should not be included in the side because they are under too much pressure,” Hasan said. “They want to clear their names first and then play for Pakistan.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board wanted the players kept out of the series until the case was resolved. Chairman Giles Clark said in a statement the board “welcomed” today’s announcement.
U.K. police took statements from the players and confiscated their cell phones after the News of the World newspaper reported Aug. 29 they were involved in the alleged scam. The investigation is continuing.
“They are innocent until proven guilty,” Hasan said. “The investigations are on and we have to wait for the results.”
England won the game in question by an innings and 225 runs to take the Test series 3-1.
To contact the reporter on this story: Bob Bensch in London at bbensch@bloomberg.net.
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