Indians involved in match-fixing in SriLanka

NEW DELHI: Match-fixing has returned to haunt the game of cricket and this time it is the Pakistani cricketers who are facing the heat after a disastrous tour of Lanka. ( Watch )

Former Pakistan chief selector Abdul Qadir made startling allegations, saying Pakistani players are linked to Indian bookies.

It came to light during the tour of Sri Lanka with stories of Pakistani players being approached by suspicious Indians, as reported by manager Saeed Yawar.

Pakistan Cricket Board has taken strict action in its bid to come clean from the match-fixing allegations. Sources within PCB told Times Now that people who are key suspects had approached the Pakistan players during the series in Sri Lanka. These people have been following the team for the last three tours. It is also indicated that strict action would be taken against Pakistan team manager in Sri Lanka, Yawar Saeed.

As contradicting reports emerged during the tour, the report came to light with ICC sources confirming to Times Now that they will look into the incident after the PCB had informed the parent governing body regarding suspicious incidents during the tour.

The report gained further prominence with former Pakistani chief selector Abdul Qadir accusing the team of having fixed matches in Sri Lanka. Qadir also lashed out at the team for its pathetic display during the tour.

The emerging Indian angle to the incident is the most disturbing. As more and more Indian bookies' names have been revealed in the match-fixing cases in the recent times.

Talking to Times Now, Abdul Qadir maintained his statement and confirmed the reports. Qadir speaking exclusively to Times Now on the match-fixing said, "This is a sensitive issue. One has to be careful. Whatever I said if it is correct of incorrect, I do it professionally."

Salman Ahmed, who is an agent who represents a few Pakistani players also confirmed the Indian angle to reports. Ahmed told Times Now, he had seen Indian bookies during various tours and also during the multi-million Indian Premier League.

Pakistan players' agent, Salman Ahmad, speaking exclusively to Times Now on the entire controversy said, "I can identify the people who were around when there was Indian Premier League. They were the same people when South Africa was playing in Pakistan. These are the same people who were in Sri Lanka when Pakistan was playing its matches. These people were there when teams like Mumbai, Punjab or any other team was playing. These were the same people during the time of Asia Cup also. From their faces, one could identify that they were from India. I am on a flight to Colombo and unless I see them tomorrow in Colombo I cannot comment further. When I identify, the relevant authorities will get to know."

Cricket journalist of Sri Lanka, Rex Clementine, speaking to Times Now said that this is nothing much to worry about. He said, "A few Indians were spotted at the place where Pakistan players were put up. From that day, these reports were coming out. Once it becomes official, the situation will be alarming. Right now, it is all unconfirmed. The security around the players is very tight. One cannot approach the players easily because they have been guarded by special forces."

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9:00 AM

PCB fine with anti-doping code, says can't escape WADA

KARACHI: BCCI may consider a WADA anti-doping clause "unreasonable" but the Pakistan Cricket Board

disagrees and believes the Indian players
are unlikely to be exempted from signing the document despite their
Board's tough stand.

PCB's Chief Operating Officer Saleem Altaf said that Pakistan had no issues with the contentious 'whereabouts clause' in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) agreement that has been rejected by the Indian board and its players.

"The automatic anti-doping and testing mechanism outlined in the new agreement by WADA is acceptable to us and nine of our male and two female cricketers have signed it," Altaf said.

Each country was required to submit the names of nine men and two women players for the WADA agreement.

"All the cricket-playing nations including Pakistan are WADA complaint. So, I don't think there is any way any country can escape this issue," he added.

He pointed out that the WADA rules were very clear and envisaged strong penalties for players, who missed a test and failed to disclose their whereabouts properly.

The Indian players have refused to sign the document pointing out that the contentious clause puts their security at risk as they have to inform the ICC and WADA about their whereabouts three months in advance.

Altaf said all ICC members were supposed to sign the WADA document by July 31 and Pakistan had done this.

"I don't want to comment on the issue between the Indian board and the ICC and WADA as it is their internal matter. I don't know how they will get around this automatic mechanism set up by WADA for its complaint nations," Altaf said.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Moin Khan said if all countries had signed the WADA document, there was no way India could avoid it.

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12:33 PM

Cricket without India means big financial loss for PCB

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board could suffer big financial loss if it fails to resume

cricket ties with arch-rivals India
soon.

As per PCB's television rights contract with the Dubai based TV Channel Ten Sports, Pakistan are bound to play at least two bilateral series against India, who are reluctant to resume cricket ties due to strained relations between the two countries.

"The network which has signed a USD 140.5 million dollars contract with the PCB expects to earn a major chunk of its revenues from broadcasting the bilateral series with India," one official said.

He said that already Board and the network had lost revenues worth USD 40 million due to the cancellation of the India's Test tour to Pakistan earlier this year.

To make matters worse for the PCB, it could face rising production costs from its television rights holders if they are forced to play their home series at neutral venues.

"Suppose if we are to play our home series against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and then the Tests in New Zealand, it will affect our net income eventually. This is because playing Tests in New Zealand would mean the production costs will go up for the network," he said.

The Indian Cricket Board has not scheduled any bilateral series with Pakistan in the new Future Tour Program effective from April, 2012, saying that they can find slots for Pakistan when the relations between the two countries improve at the government level.

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10:23 AM