Pakistan face calls for life bans over the spot-fixing claims

Tuesday, 31 August 2010 15:47

Written by Editor

Former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan says swift action must be taken against anyone found to have been part of the alleged no-ball conspiracy at Lord's."If these allegations are true then there should be exemplary punishment," Khan told BBC World Service.

Past captains from both England and Pakistan have called for life bans if the allegations are proved. And former International Cricket Council chief Malcolm Speed believes the ICC may ban Pakistan from cricket.Bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, captain Salman Butt and wicketkeeper Kamran  Akmal have been questioned by police over  claims Amir and Asif bowled no-balls against England in the final Test at pre-determined times as part of a betting conspiracy.

Pakistan are due to play Somerset on Thursday, but the two Twenty20 matches against England which follow and a five-match one-day series that is  scheduled to begin on 10 September have been thrown into doubt. Imran Khan believes the  tour must continue even if some of the Pakistan team are guilty.

"Why should the fans suffer? If the players are found guilty they should be shunted out of the team [and] replaced by others," he said. But Speed, who served as ICC chief between 2001 and 2008, disagrees.

"I think that suspension is an option. It is serious,"said   Speed. "It looks as though it is endemic that several of the team members are involved and have been for some time. So perhaps they need a rest," he said.

The ICC's anti-corruption unit is already investigating Pakistan's tour to Australia in December and January, which included a suspicious result in the final Test in Sydney when Pakistan contrived to lose in a dominant position amid a flurry of dropped catches. The tourists were whitewashed in both Test and one-day series down under and several players were banned for misconduct following an investigation by the PCB.

"The game has to be cleaned up. This is the chance to change the game forever and stamp this kind of thing out,"   said former England captain Michael Vaughan.    

"The only way the game will move forward is by hitting those involved with life bans if they are found guilty.