The three Pakistan cricketers at the center of a betting scandal have been released from the squad for the remainder of the tour of England, team manager Yawar Saeed said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Pakistan’s one-day game against Somerset, Saeed said Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif had been dropped from the two upcoming Twenty20 games.
Pakistan would also seek replacements for the five one-day limited overs games against England, Saeed added, denying the trio had been suspended.
“The T20 squad will remain what it is here this morning, i.e. 13 people,” Saeed said. “When we play the one-day internationals we will be asking for replacements to make the squad up to 16.”
“The [three] players have not been suspended,” he said.
Butt, Aamer and Asif were named in a report by the News of the World, which alleged the players conspired to arrange for deliberate no-balls to be bowled at precise points in last week’s Test match against England.
Saaed added he could not comment about the trio’s state of mind, saying: “They are still here. I cannot answer anything on their behalf because investigations are being made by Scotland Yard and the ICC [International Cricket Council] and others.”
“The game must go on, cricket will be played at its best,” said.
In related news, Asif’s former girlfriend has met ICC officials after commenting on her suspicions of his behavior.
Actress Veena Malik’s manager Sohail Rashid yesterday said she met ICC anti-corruption officials on Wednesday evening. Malik had told Associated Press Television News that an Indian man frequently called and sent text messages to Asif, which she found suspicious.
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