Pakistan and the International Cricket Council were at loggerheads on Friday after the ICC, in a surprise and decisive move, announced the provisional suspension of three Pakistani players, including two fast bowlers, over allegations of spot-fixing during the Lord’s Test match last week.
Scotland Yard started questioning the three players at the Kilburn police station in north London early on Friday morning with a fast bowler being the first to be questioned by the investigating team. He was followed by the second fast-bowler on Friday afternoon and the third would be questioned last. The players, accompanied by lawyers provided by the Pakistan high commission, were questioned under caution over allegations of corruption. They have not been charged as yet.
The ICC, which suspended the players Thursday night, has not questioned the players as yet and will do so only after the Met police completes its investigation. The suspension, which came after the three players were dropped from the Pakistan squad Thursday morning, led Pakistan high commissioner Wajed Shamsul Hasan to claim that the ICC was “playing to the gallery”. He also claimed that ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat had “stabbed him in the back” by issuing suspension notices to the three players while the Scotland Yard investigation was still on. “The ICC had no business to take this action. The ICC is just playing to the public gallery,” the high commissioner said. Mr Hasan attacked the ICC and described its decision as “unhelpful, premature and unnecessary”. He also claimed he would look into taking legal action against the ICC.
“The notices have been issued without launch of an inquiry; the chargesheet is based solely on newspaper reports,” the Pakistan high commissioner said, adding that the ICC had disregarded “a live police inquiry which takes precedence over both the ICC, civil or regulatory investigation and indeed any internal disciplinary investigation”.
He also linked the sting operation by the British tabloid to Indian bookies in Mumbai. “I think it’s the Indian bookies who have used this sting operation to settle scores...” Mr Hasan said in an interview.
Mr Hasan also attacked Mr Lorgat. “Mr Haroon Lorgat came to my office on Thursday evening to say that he intended to issue the notices for explanation; he did not say that the players would be suspended. In fact, he was of the opinion that undue pressure should not be put on the team,” Mr Hasan said, claiming the ICC chief executive had lied to him just hours before he issued the notices.
However, Mr Lorgat denied he had in any way misled the Pakistan high commissioner. “I will want to differ from the interpretation that the high commissioner has put on the meeting,” the ICC chief executive said, adding: “The very reason I went to meet the high commissioner was to inform him about the suspensions,” he said at a press conference at Lord’s on Friday afternoon.
“There is absolutely no truth to the suggestion that there is a conspiracy towards Pakistan cricket,” Mr Lorgat said, adding: “There is a lot of sympathy for Pakistan and its players.”
The ICC late on Thursday night charged the three Pakistan players with “various offences” under Article 2 of the ICC anti-corruption code for players and player support personnel relating to alleged irregular behaviour during, and in relation to, the fourth Test between England and Pakistan. The players have been provisionally suspended and have 14 days to appeal.
However, both Mr Lorgat and Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the head of ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit, refused to reveal the charges against the three cricketers. Article 2 relates to offences that include corruption, betting and misuse of inside information.
The criminal investigation is going on parallel with the disciplinary committee’s investigation, Sir Ronnie said. “We are working closely, but separately and parallel to the Met police.”
Sir Ronnie did not give any indication of the proof against the suspended cricketers. “The conclusion that we have come to is that there is a really arguable case to answer,” he said. The three players, if found guilty, could face a life ban, Sir Ronnie said in answer to a question.