PCB Chairman Accuses Conspiracy to Defraud Pakistan Cricket

Strategic Insights -

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Ijaz Butt, has claimed that there is a conspiracy to defraud Pakistan cricket. Speaking in Dubai, he criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC) for not taking the PCB into confidence before launching an investigation into spot-fixing allegations against Pakistani players. Butt pointed out that the ICC had not informed the PCB about the investigation, which he claimed was a breach of protocol.

According to Butt, the PCB will hold its own inquiry into the allegations and will also lodge a protest with the ICC for not taking them into confidence. He accused the English players of being involved in a conspiracy to defraud the bookies and questioned how a team that wins a match could be involved in spot-fixing.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, accused the ICC of not taking the PCB into confidence before launching an investigation into spot-fixing allegations against Pakistani players.
  • The PCB will hold its own inquiry into the allegations and will also lodge a protest with the ICC for not taking them into confidence.
  • Butt accused English players of being involved in a conspiracy to defraud the bookies.
  • The PCB denied any involvement of Pakistani players in spot-fixing allegations.
  • Butt questioned the fairness of media labeling Pakistani players as cheats without proof.
  • The ICC is investigating the third ODI match between Pakistan and England, in which Pakistani players were accused of deliberately bowling no-balls.

Statistics:

  • 3 Pakistani players (Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, and Salman Butt) were accused of deliberately bowling no-balls in the fourth Test against England.
  • 4th Test was played last month.
  • Pakistan won the third ODI match against England by 23 runs.
  • The ICC launched a fresh investigation into claims of spot-fixing in the third ODI match.
  • The PCB and its players cooperated fully in the ongoing investigations.

Sources:

  • Pakistan Television (PTI) - Karachi, September 19, 2010
  • Duniya news channel - Dubai, September 2010